The Loss of all that ever I held dear A Loss to beggar me and all my Hopes These were the Thoughts that flew to your Relief And have preserv'd you for this Interview Fav More terrible than Death it self to me Vir. You cannot think I come to pardon you No all that I endeavour or can gain Upon my Wrongs is to disarm my Rage And let it pass among the strange Effects Of that commanding Pow'r you always had Upon my Heart that you are yet alive But I am still contriving my Revenge Still meditating how to punish you And I am in a way that pleases me It satisfies my Justice better too Than the Atonement of your spotted Blood Exit Fav There is no Remedy no way to save My Innocence but by accusing him Who always has been dearer than my Life It must be he that cou'd pursue me there If he has scap'd with safety I am pay'd Tho' 't is a heavy loss of Life and Fame Virginius returns with a Child in his Hand Vir. Here is a little Innocent that comes To Mourn with you Soon as she can speak plain She 'll tell you 't is an undone Mothers Loss Has brought her hither to be Nurs'd in Tears Fav O! may she never know her Mothers Fate Vir. Nor the Dishonour of her Father but Inheriting her Parents Infamy She must grow up with the Disgrace and Shame Look on her well Fav My Eyes and Heart are full of her Vir. Look on her as it were to be the last The last last look that you may ever have Fav This Object I wou'd wish to close my Eyes Vir. You must remember how she has been bred The fondled Darling of our rival Loves Fav Who are to strive in fondness of her now Who to supply a tender Mothers Care Vir. O! that the Reason of my Love shou'd prove Shou'd ever prove the reason of my Hate How have I hung upon the little Lines Of that dear Face with a fond Father's Joy To find the Mother there in Minature By Natures Hand Copy'd in every Look I pray'd the God's she might resemble you And now abhor the Likeness I desr'd I cannot look upon her but she brings Her Mothers Crimes into my Memory When you are in your Grave the sight of her Will raise you from the Dead to haunt my Peace To plague and punish me take her away I wonnot throw her out to Beggary But for your sake will neve see her more Fav O miserable Woman must I be The Ruine of my Child She snatches up the Child the Women come about her to take the Child Vir. Away with her Why am I not obey'd Force her away Fav O let her stay but for a parting hour Vir. No not a Minute not a Moments stay Fav To take a farewel Kiss Vir. You 've seen your last of her Now she has wound her self about your Heart Now she has hold of all the Strings of Life Now tear her thence that you at last may feel Forcing the Child from her she falls on the Floor Some of the Tortures you prepar'd for me Fav The God's must give me Patience to support What they inflict this is a thousand Deaths Vir. When I can entertain you at this rate I 'll visit you agen in the mean time You know your Lodging I must see you in You 'll have sufficient leisure to reflect Upon the Follies that have brought you here You 've made your self unworthy of the World And therefore never shall appear agen But live forlorn immur'd within these Walls Who 's there A Servant enters with a Dagger in one Hand and a Bowl in t'other and gives 'em to Virginius who places 'em on a Table by Favonia I have your Father's Present yet to bring He sends a Dagger and a poyson'd Draught In your Extremity to comfort you When you are weary of this Slavery You have that wretched choice to set you free The Scene shuts upon Favonia he goes off ACT V. SCENE I. The Forum Pacuvius Vibius Virius Marius Blosius with the Senators in their several Parties 1 Sen. WE are met here and only to be made More certain of inevitable Fate Each Moment brings us Matter of Despair And no one to propose a Remedy Blo The Mauritanians who were hir'd and sent And as Deserters undertook to pass The Roman Camp and get to Hannibal Discover'd by the Consuls to be Spies Fifty in number were condemn'd to be First strip'd and Scourg'd then with their Hands cut off In that most lamentable plight driv'n back To Capua to let us see the News 2 Sen. To let us see what we are to expect 3 Sen. To let us read in bloody Characters The Vengeance that is laid in store for us 4 Sen. The Spectacle has sunk the People so They dare no longer think of a Defence And talk of nothing but Surrendring now Pac. This Accident has cut our Commerce off All our Intelligence with Hannibal We 've nothing farther to expect from him Blo And the God's know but little from our selves Within Bear back make way for our Deliverer Do you not know good Decius Magius Enter Decius Magius 1 Sen. O! Decius Magius you 'r a wellcome Man Among us you were never wanted more Mag. 'T is a bad Day for Capua when a Weak Old useless Man comes to be wanted so But any thing is welcome in Distress I 'm sorry for the Cause that brings me here Tho' it has brought me back to Liberty From Dungeon Darkness to the Heavenly Light 2 Sen. We never were in such a wretched need Mag. I hear how Matters go with us all wrong And fear me 't is too late to set 'em right My Pow'r is very poor but yet you may Employ it as you please for Capua For I am still devoted to her Cause 1 Sen. We cannot hope to have the Town reliev'd 2 Sen. Nor are we able to defend it long 3 Sen. The Roman Clemency has oft been try'd On desperate Occasions and been found When all has fail'd the only Remedy 4. Sen. And let us not despair of its effects It s good effects on us Blo What do you mean 1. Sen. To pacifie the fury of our Fate 2. Sen. Not to enrage it by opposing it 3. Sen. But freely give what they have pow'r to take 1. Sen. We have agreed the greatest part of Us To send our Legates to the Consuls Camp And offer up the Town to save our lives 4. Sen. And you are come good Decius Magius The fittest Suppliant in your Country's Cause 1. Sen. You have deserv'd and you may well pretend An Interest with the Roman Generals Mag. An Interest against their Interest There 's very little to expect from that 1. Sen. We will surrender at discretion Mag. And that is but a wretched Embassie But if you think it is the only way To do you Service and you are agreed 2. Sen. We are agreed there is no other way Mag. What says
tame No Council moderate no Friendship cure Therefore I went to Rome resolv'd to breath My sighs in Foreign Air not to disturb Your Interest or Favonia's Innocence I languisht many Years my Fate thought fit To bring me back and you wou'd have me home Vir. In left her with you Jun. I that conflict I Confess'd what I had suffer'd for my love She pity'd me and I desir'd no more Vir. Say on while I have leisure to attend Jun. The Man you found in her Apartment was Your wretched Friend I thought to ' scape unseen But that poor caution has undone us all Vir. What was your Business there Jun. I went to take A parting look resolv'd to end my griefs And trouble her no more Favonia was Ev'n Innocent of my being there I found her sleeping with her harmless Thoughts And She but wak'd as you approach'd the Room In a surprize to find her self undone This Writing I have drawn to vouch for me In all the circumstances of this tale And the Gods try me by the Truth it bears Dyes Vir. A solemn adjuration and no doubt Most heavenly true and all this is the work Of my own folly had I been content With that faâ—… portion of felicity The Gods beslow'd upon me in a Wife How happy had I been but I must bring My Friend home to usurp upon her right And what 's the consequence Ruine and Death The approach of Death makes me less sensible I 've lost my Wife and Friend and now my self Dyes SCENE Pacuvius House Pacuvius Vibius Virius Marius Blosius with Seven or Eight Senators rising from a Feast Pac. Who who wou'd basely lag behind in life Only to see how many wretched ways Our Enemies will find out to punish us 5 Sen. These Eyes shall never be Spectators of My Countries Ruine Vib. Nor will I behold The ravage and the havock of our Spoils 6 Sen. Nor Capua's Honours trampled in the dust 7 Sen. Nor shining horrid with involving Flames Blo Shall our chast Matrons and our blushing Maids Our generous Youth bred up to nobler hopes Attempted seiz'd o'erpow'rd be tam'd at last To the insults of all unnatural Lusts Vib. If there was nothing else to undergo Blo You cannot call it living on such terms Pac. If we agree that Life wou'd be a load Not to be Born with these Indignities Here is the helping hand to throw it off A Servant gives him a Bowl This Bowl I have reserv'd to crown the Feast Hannibal carries Poyson in a Ring Still to be near him in adversity I have prepar'd this cordial Draught for us A noble and preventing remedy To free our Bodies from the Punishment Our Minds from the Reproach and Infamy Our Eyes and Ears from being Witnesses Of all those Cruelties that are design'd Contriv'd reserv'd and wait for conquer'd Men. Vib. We wonnot rob our Virtue of its Fame To think that any here can stand in need Of words to argue him into a deed Of this high consequence and character Blo We are confirm'd in reason and resolv'd Pac. Then thus I offer you deliverance And do begin a Health to Liberty Drinks 5 Sen. A generous Health and send it round to all Blo Fill all the Bowls at once that we may joyn In that most noble Pledge let no Man have Priority or Place in this last Scene But all unite in honour of the deed Vib. Let us unite our Hands as well as Hearts In this great Work and since we are to part We 'll part like Friends lockt In a strict embrace They embrace in a circle Magius enters as they are in the Ceremony Mag. I must not be shut out I come to be Admitted to the gallant Fellowship Of your great Enterprize I hear you are Determin'd and resolv'd Servants give each Man a Bowl Give me a Cup Among the rest 5 Sen. 'T is Poyson Mag. Not to me Or if it shou'd be so I come to dye 6 Sen. We 'll show you then the way Mag. I 'm old and weak And cannot follow fast unless you stay To take me with you in your Company 6 Sen. We will Pac. I 'm sorry to see you reduc'd to dye Mag. I 'm sorry to see you reduc'd to live Pac. That wou'd be poverty of Soul indeed 'T is not so poor with me Mag. I 'm glad of it 6 Sen. Pacuvius has drank his cordial off Mag. Secure me mine and then at leisure I Will tell you the particulars at large Of what I went about the Consuls doom And Capua's Fate Servant gives Magius a Bowl they all drink together But this delivers me 5 Sen. And all of us Blo Now we defy the Doom Pronounce it in the threatning Consuls words Tho it shou'd thunder from the judgment Seat It shakes not us We have our Pardon seal'd Mag. I was not suffer'd to approach their Camp But as a private Person and a Friend They utterly refus'd the Prisoners Disdaining to receive 'em as a Bribe And wou'd not hear me upon any terms That I cou'd offer all I cou'd obtain Was to inform my self what they design'd To do with us 6 Sen. It must be terrible Mag. Why Fourscore Senators are condemn'd to Death Three Hundred of our noblest Families To be dispers'd into the Latin Towns There to remain as Prisoners at large Our Treasure all confiscated to Rome our Lands and publick Buildings forfeited Capua to be disfranchis'd of her Rights Her Liberties and her chief Citizens The Populace by out-cry to be sold Into the several States of Italy And none permitted to inhabit here But Slaves made Free Strangers and meanest Trades Never to be incorporated more In a Community to have a Voice In free Election of its Magistrates But live enthrall'd under the Scourge of Rome Vib. More dreadful far than Fire or Sword cou'd be Blo It had been Mercy to extirpate quite The Name and Memory of Capua Mag. As to my self 't is true they offer'd all All honourable terms for me and mine But what is Honour Fortune when we have No Friends no Country to rejoyce with us I cou'd not think of Life after that Loss Therefore came timely to prevent it here Pac. O Magius let me witness to the worth I always envy'd We have rivall'd long For Capua's Love but this last act of yours Has forc'd me to confess it was your due Has thrown all emulation so behind The Honour of the Race is wholly yours Had I proceeded with that openess With that clear Spirit in my Countries cause Mag. May be it had been better for us all This is no time for long Confessions If you have done amiss amend it now And by the brave example of your Death Correct the influence of an ill spent Life Pac. I 've found this easie honest way to Death The only way my Friends to vanquish Rome To rob her Consuls of their Triumph here And bear our selves the palm of Victory A Servant whispers Pacuvius and gives him the Paper that
a Citizen of Capua Second to none in Name and Dignity Torn from his Friends and forc'd in Chains to death Go meet your Hannibal crowd all your Streets Dress up your Houses and your Images And put on all the City's Finery To consecrate this Day a Festival Of Barbarous Triumph over you and me Offi. I 'll spoil your speech-making drag him along Exeunt The Lictor dragging Magius off the Stage 1 Cit. O! piteous Spectacle 3 Cit. Piteous indeed 1 Cit. This is the setting out of Slavery 2 Cit. 'T is well if it goes no farther Not allow us to pity our Fellow Citizens 3 Cit. Ay did you mark that 2 Cit. They begin to shew themselves already 1 Cit. In Colours I don't like We may repent too late what we have done Enter more Citizens to ' em 4 Cit. O you have lost the best of the Shew the sight of the Prisoners and the Bushel of Gold-Rings 1 Cit. What! there were so many Roman Knights kill'd and taken at Cannae that their several Rings in a heap together fill'd a Bushel 4 Cit. So they say indeed 1 Cit. Why then their Bushel lies out of all measure in my opinion 4 Cit. The three hundred Knights that were deliver'd to us wou'd have been worth your seeing gallant Fellows indeed and wounded most of ' em 2 Cit. Some body said That Junius was found among the Prisoners 4 Cit. Yes yes Junius our Countryman was among 'em he was said to be kill'd at Cannae but he 's alive again and in a way to do very well 1 Cit. He 's a Prisoner you say 4 Cit. No his old Friend Virginius upon the merit of his violence and the credit of his Father Pacuvius Has made an interest with Hannibal And they say has got him his liberty 2 Cit. All in good time but Decius Magius Let 's follow all to know what comes of him Exeunt Enter Virginius and Junius with an Officer and Guard Vir. O Junius how art thou restor'd to life And I by miracle to happiness For tho the bounteous Gods have blest my Fate With all the good things else of this great World Yet wanting thee wanting my other self I could not be entire to my content Not absolute nor perfect in my joy But they have brought thee back to me again And through such ' mazing paths of Providence We cannot trace and only can admire Thus thy good fortune rises from the bad Hadst thou not been at Cannae taken there Had we not leagu'd our State with Hannibal Thou had'st not been among the Prisoners The Roman Knights to be deliver'd here Thou had'st not seen thy Country City Friends Nor should I had the interest and power With Hannibal to gain thy liberty Jun. I wonnot be oblig'd for any thing I do not understand a benefit I 'm Pris ner of an honourable War And do despise my Freedom but on terms As brave and honest as I parted with it Such terms I must despair of finding here Vir. We do invite you to an equal share Of all the advantages of Government Of Place and Power with us in Capua Jun. Therefore I do refuse my liberty Vir. You wonnot sure refuse it from a Friend Jun. I have no Friend nor I pretend to none Vir. You have been mine and you have thought me yours Jun. That was in our young days when every thing Was swallow'd and went credulously down Our pleasures hurrying on in the same course When we pursu'd 'em with the same desires With the same stretch and eagerness of Youth Our manners too in every thing ally'd Then we were Friends for our convenience But when the business of the World comes on Justling between ambitious interests T is then in the great voyage of our Life As if our Vessels struck upon a Rock Each shifts a several way to ' scape the wreck And sink or swim my Friend nay plunge him down So by his ruin I get safe to shore Vir. It never can be so between us two I have no ambition have no interest That Friendship can suspect or split upon Friendship is riches power all to me Friendship 's another Element of life Water and Fire not of more general use To the support and comfort of the World Than Friendship to the being of my Joy I would do every thing to serve a Friend Jun. And I would serve a Friend in honest things I do pretend no farther You and I You see have very different sentiments Therefore unlikely to continue Friends If from our former Brotherhood of Love You do suspect I may have any claim Against her interest that should have it all Here I renounce it I resign it here And now let 's heartily shake hands and part To your high Fortune You I to my Fate Vir. My Fortune and your Fate shall be but one Jun. They are impossible to reconcile You happy I am born to be a Wretch You free and I condemn'd to be a Slave O! had I fal'n with Honour in the Field How many miseries had ended there Death had secured me then from being led In Triumph here over my Country's Shame I hate your Hannibal I hate your Cause And now can only be a Friend to Rome And if I ever come at Liberty It shall be but to strike against you all Offi. You hear him he is not to be reclaim'd Vir. This is the present sense of suffering The grief of unheal'd Wounds all will be well Offi. You cannot trust him with his liberty Vir. With my own life I will Jun. Have you resolv'd About the trifle of disposing me Vir. My House your Prison I must be your Guard Jun. With your own hands you set it then on fire Offi. He has warn'd you and the consequence be yours Exeunt Junius following Virginius SCENE Virginius 's House Favonia enters a Woman following Fav I 'LE hear no more when next thou speak'st to me Let blood and death and ruin be the Theme Talk of the Massacres of Families Plunder of Cities and whole Countries waste A private mischief is not worth the news Tell me that all the dire Calamities Of raging War chain'd up in discipline Are now broke loose trooping in horrid march To fright the World the brood of Cerberus And worry all like the black-guard of Hell That Lust and Rapine do divide the Spoil That Giant Murder does bestride our Streets Stalking in state and wading deep in Blood My Father Butcher'd weltring in his Gore A Dagger in the Throat of my dear Child And thou shalt be as welcome then as now Exit Woman That Capua is in Universal Blaze All all the winds of Heaven driving this way And nothing but my Tears to quench the Flame Junius alive ev'n that would give me Death In Capua too that brings it nearer still In the same house that stabs the Dagger home It hurries me to Execution And Execution too upon the Rack Let me be out of pain before he comes What corner
Act. ACT III. SCENE I. A Garden Enter Pacuvius and Perolla Pac. I 'VE watch't thee with a careful Parents eye Follow'd through all the motions of thy Soul And cannot find it therefore have withdrawn To give thee place and opportunity Per. And therefore have I follow'd you my Lord To tell you what it is I labour with Pac. 'T is mighty sure when the great Hannibal Not only has forgiv'n but honour'd thee At his high Table bidding thee his Guest That can disgrace his Invitation Poyson his Feast and in a general Mirth Make sad the brow of Youth with discontent Per. 'T is a design to raise my Countries Fame Pac. Thy Countries Fame Per. You see this Dagger here A little instrument for so great a work But well employ'd and gallantly struck home Pac. Struck home Per. Into the heart of Hannibal Wou'd yet attone our infamous revolt Pac. O Jupiter thou great deliverer Per. I have resolv'd to make our peace with Rome And seal it with this Carthaginian's Blood 'T is fit that you should know what I intend If you approve the deed then see it done If not take this occasion and retire Pac. By all the bonds of Duty and of Love That tye a Son and Father's hearts in one I beg implore conjure thee to desist Let me arrest thee in this horrid course That leads through all the steps of infamy Into the gulf of sure Perdition Per. I think not so Pac. But now before the Altars of the Gods We interchang'd our Souls and plighted Faith With right-hands joyn'd in solemn holy league Of Sacred Trust and was there nothing meant By these good rites of hospitality More than when we had feasted drank and laught To get a nearer opportunity To perpetrate the foulest act of shame And Stab our Entertainer Per. How my Lord Our Entertainer you compell'd me here Pac. Your Benefactor he has sav'd your life Per. So is the Robber that but takes my goods And shall I thank him for not doing more Pac. If there is nothing Sacred if you think Religion Faith and Piety restraints But for the weak then let loose all the Reins Yet when you undertake a Villany Act like a Man not rashly throw away Honour and life in the mad enterprize Per. My life I have devoted to my Cause And Honour must attend it when it goes Pac. What! would you singly strike at Hannibal Where is the circle of his Officers His waiting Slaves and his attending Guards The many eyes that only wake for him The many hands always in arms for him All blind and dead are they confounded all Can you alone undaunted stand against Those looks of Terror which arm'd Legions Have trembled at and Rome could not sustain Per. I can surprize him in his riots here Pac. O no my Son hee 's not to be surprized There is an awful guard of Majesty About his Person that denies approach A Majesty of glorious Actions Of famous Wars and bloody Battels gain'd That are his Sword and Buckler every where They charge around him like Numidian Spears To terrify and keep off all surprize Trebie and Thrasimene and Cannae all Shelter him with the Laurels of their Fields The mighty Ghost of great Aemilius That waits him as his guardian Genius now Would wish to die again a death of shame To see a Boy attempt his Conqueror But grant you could surprize him and his guards Yet I am there what will you do with me I am his Fortress I am his Defence Will you pursue him through a Father's Life If you will Stab him Stab him then through me My breast oppos'd first you must reach my Heart Before your Dagger can arrive at him Per. O Sir your words have struck a Dagger here Pac. Is then the thirst of thy revenge so hot Not to be slackt but with a Father's Blood Per. I 'le pour out mine to quench your kindled Rage Pac. Let me deter thee here rather than go To throw away thy self and ruin me O let my Prayers prosper and prevail With thee as for thee they prevail'd to day Per. I must deny you nothing but you have Undone your Self your Country and your Son You have commanded me and I will pay That piety to you my Country claims O my dear Country this was my last hope To have restored thee to thy Self and Rome I had prepar'd this Dagger in thy Cause But since my Father wrests it from my Hand I can no more but with my Grief retire And in the Crowd expect the common Fate Exit Virginius enters to Pacuvius Vir. You have withdrawn your self in a bad time We wanted you within the Publick has Put on a different face from what it had But Smile or Frown we cannot mend it now Pac. Pray what 's the matter Vir. Why the question rose Upon the taking in the Tarentines Pac. O I was by when their Ambassadors Were introduced and had their Audience Their business was welcom'd and well receiv'd But not requiring haste soon laid aside And civily dismist while I was there Vir. It was so and the Revellings went on But then from all the quarters of the Town We were allarmed by clamorous complaints Of every kind against the Soldiers Women and Wine we knew of right were theirs But in a natural and manly use Not to break through or over-leap the bounds Of Government by brutal violence But when they came without distinction To seize on all proceeding so to Blood To Plunder Murder and to Ravishment 'T was high time to complain Pac. High time indeed Vir. Some call'd on you others petition'd me And every Client to his Patron ran To save him or redress his injuries Pac. What follow'd then Vir. Maherbal standing by The Carthaginian General of the Horse With his blunt honesty told Hannibal That from the Soldiers Luxury he foresaw Capua would prove to him and his affairs Fatal as ever Cannae did to Rome Pac. Ha! that was home Vir. Hannibal rouz'd at that And gave his orders for a speedy March But not so much on what Maherbal said It is believ'd as on some News from Rome Pac. We never wish'd him to continue here Vir. But what should be the News that has so soon Alter'd his Measures Pac. O no matter what Can come from Rome he has serv'd the present turn And we can serve our selves against the next We must be near him while he stays with us Exeunt SCENE Virginius 's House Enter Junius Jun. IT was her hand that rais'd me from the Grave It was her Mercy that repriev'd my Fate She meant it in a kind Compassion Tho it had been the tendrest Charity To let the rigor of the Sentence pass Upon my Life and put me out of pain I am redeem'd from the arrest of Death To pine and languish in a wretched Life Is there no Remedy Want will be heard And answer'd too I could turn Begger here When once it comes to the extremity To take or
our Scores but what was that all 1. Cit. Why they sent to him to complain that he had abandon'd the Town and as it were yielded it up himself to the Fury of the Romans and withall beseeching him that he wou'd come to their Relief who were not only Besieg'd but shut up in the Works and almost in the Hands of the Enemy 2. Cit. Upon which he came to look upon his Patients at a distance shook his Head in despair of our State and went to Rome for better Advice 3. Cit. He sent us his Reason for so doing 2. Cit. But the Consuls are here still for all his Reason and the Praetor too their Armies are not drawn off as soon as Hannibal march'd out of Capua the Romans came upon us you know as if they had hit the opportunity they had been aiming at solong they did not come here to be drawn away by every Motion of the Enemy 4. Cit. No no they wont leave us so 2. Cit. Therefore my Advice is either to try what our Despair can do in making a bold push or take the Benefit of the Consuls Proclamation 3. Cit. What 's that What does the Proclamation say 2. Cit. It offers Life and liberty to all those that surrender themselves in four and twenty Hours 3. Cit. Why ay why don't we lay hold on the Proclamation 4. Cit. At least let 's stay for an Answer from Hannibal Some Mauritanians have undertaken in the Name of Deserters to get to him thro' the Roman Camp 2. Cit. And will be wise enough never to come back agen In the mean time we stand like Condemn'd Men with the Halter about our Necks but no body attempts any thing for himself or the Publick 1. Cit. What wou'd you have us do The chief Citizens have shut themselves up in their Houses expecting their Ruine with the Destruction of their Country 3. Cit. The Nobles have deserted us and the Care of the Common-wealth 2. Cit. Why then in the first place let us go and set Decius Magius at Liberty Omn. Agreed agreed 't was luckily thought upon 3. Cit. He 's a good Man and a lover of his Country 4. Cit. And a Lover of the People 1. Cit. Nay he never quarrell'd with us but for our Faults when we deserv'd it 3. Cit. If we had been govern'd by him Friends 2. Cit. Let us clap him up at the Head of the Government 3. Cit. And his Enemies in his place 4. Cit. We can't do better 1. Cit. And then we 'll go about the City to Summon the Senate and tell the Senators plainly what they must trust to that unless they assemble immediately to look after the Publick we 'll set their Houses on Fire about their Ears and begin with them in the Ruin of Capua 2. Cit. We 'll Sacrifice them to their Country rather then give up our Wives and Children to the Enemy 3. Cit. And so we 'll tell 'em plainly 4. Cit. There 's nothing else to be done 1. Cit. If we are to be Ruin'd let it begin at our Betters 2. Cit. 'T is time enough for us when it comes to our turn And I 'll take my turn tho' it be at the Gallows 1. Cit. Why that 's well said there 's something to be expected from our honest endeavours Therefore all hands to Decius Magius Exeunt SCENE Virginius's House Virginius enters with a Servant Vir. You know the rest tell her that I am here Exit Servant SCENE opens and shews Favonia on the Ground Where are you on the ground it does become The present Posture of your fall'n Estate Fallen from the highest pitch of Happiness Into the lowest depth of Misery Yet I will raise you wou'd I cou'd restore you To the admir'd height in which you stood Of Fame and Virtue but it cannot be As well I may refix a new fall'n Star In his bright Orb to light the World agen I come to visit you Fav I thank you Sir Vir. I durst not trust you in a Father's Hand Fav I have no Friend Vir. O! that the time shou'd come That you shou'd ever say you have no Friend When I am near you Yes you have a Friend A Friend you shou'd not have no more of that I am to tell you what a Friend you 've lost And then compute your Gains Fav I have lost all That ever was of Value to my Peace Vir. You have destroy'd all that was in your Pow'r And you well know your Pow'r to ruine me You 've thrown away a Husband and his Love That follow'd you as Nature does her Works To nurse and raise you to Perfection Had all the good things of this Earth been mine And mine the Pow'r to draw their Spirits off Into a Quintessence of Happiness I had bestow'd the precious Draught on you And in return Fav O I could make you none To your Deserts Vir. In barbarous Return You have reach'd out the Gall of Bitterness To dash my Cup and poyson all my Joys I cou'd have sweetned it with my Revenge Which I restrain'd I held your Father's Hand Stretch'd out to take away your guilty Life For when I heard he had pronounc'd your Death And Sign'd the Execution tho' I knew You had deserv'd it of my Wrongs and Me I cou'd not hold but flew to your Relief And why Is it because my Nature is Insensible and cannot feel a Wrong Stupid and deadned to the Sense of Shame Or that I 'm noted for my Easiness In finding out Excuses to forgive And pardon faster than they injure me Is that the Reason that I rescu'd you You know me better no Favonia no 'T was Pity came into the Place of Rage But do not therefore think that I am sit For my Disgrace because I pitty'd you Justice her self-Condemns with a Remorse And pitty's while she strikes besides I thought That you and you who for so many Years Had liv'd as Friends shou'd have a time to part Fav O Misery that I must nothing say In my Defence to clear my Innocence Vir. Hold have a care no more of Innocence Or a Defence if you insist on that I shall break thro' the Temper I propos'd And then I cannot say where I shall end Fav Well I have done Vir. Not but you have an Advocate still here Within this Breast and not to be remov'd That in Defiance of a Cause so foul So desperate and so lost will yet be heard But then it does pretend but to advise And warn me to be cautious what I do Well to consider what I undertake Pondring to weigh the heavy Consequence And not revenge my self upon my self As that 's the case unless I am resolv'd Never to want what I wou'd throw away And who can know his Resolution Who can be sure that he is well enough Acquainted with the Temper of his Heart To answer for its Proof and Constancy To know it's strength sufficient to support So great a Loss to bear a Loss like yours
Pacuvius You are yet to speak Pac. I wou'd ill become my character to joyn In this advise of supplicating Rome In our distress who may be was the first To urge her Ruine by deserting her But if I were no more obnoxious No more accountable for our revolt Than he that acted least yet I must think From what we 've done to them and they to us There is no hope of pardon at their hands Blo A Pardon 't is a Play-thing for a Child To still the present fit of frowardness A Man can never set his heart upon 't Pac. Now when a Foreign Enemy insults And Hannibal himself that Enemy When all things are permitted to the Sword Brandish'd and flaming over Italy At such a time forgetting Hannibal And every threatned danger to send here Both Consuls with their Armies Consular Looks as they did intend to make their Wars Only on us not Carthage more abhorr'd Than Capua as if they did not come For Fame or Victory but for revenge Mag. It may be so and that they come to raise A Monument to warn succeeding times Never to injure in whatever State Their Fortune is the Citizens of Rome Pac. The very Savages and fiercest Beasts Do but approach their Dens and they will leave Their destin'd Prey to save their helpless Young The Romans are more eager yet than they For not the leaguer of their City Rome Their Wives their Children whose imploring cries And lamentations almost reach 'em here Their Altars Hearths the Temples of the Gods The Sepulchers of their great Ancestors In danger to be violated all By Hannibal can once remove 'em hence From the determin'd spoil of Capua So greedy are they of our Punishment Of such a burning thirst to drink our Blood Therefore for my part I will seek no aid Out of my self while I am Master of My liberty I can take care for one 1. Sen. You who have made your selves unworthy of Pardon and mercy justly may despair But we have hopes in Decius Magius Mag. Alas 2. Sen. Take the three hundred Roman Knights Along with you that are our Prisoners 3. Sen. That was a lucky thought make all the Friends Mag. Adversity will find but very few 3. Sen. What force you can Mag. And all I fear too weak Exit with his Party Pac. You then who seem to have another sense Of what we owe to the Immortal Gods And our immortal selves in these extremes I do invite you to take part with me In the kind entertainment of this Night Which I 've prepar'd for many more good Friends The Wine and Company I know are good The Supper chosen well and elegant For who can tell but it may be our last If it so prove indulge the Genius Enlarge the Soul and feast the senses high We 'll sacrifice at last to Liberty Exeunt Enter Virginius and Junius Vir. O Junius 't is unworthy of the Man Who calls you Friend so scandalous a Fate But do not think that I am reconcil'd Humbled and tam'd to my dishonour no. Jun. I know you can't be wanting to your self Vir. I wanted to acquit my self to you And therefore I have found you luckily To go with me Jun. You may command your Friend Vir. To be a witness that I treat the Wretch As She deserves from me and my revenge Exeunt Virginius 's House Favonia enters with a Dagger in one hand and a Bowl in tother Fav A Fathers Present to a luckless Child His sending it and by a Husbands hands Shou'd have determin'd me before this time In what I have to do 't is but to dye And that I 've meditated study'd long And often wisht but yet this Dagger here This Ruffian Dagger like a Murderer That does delight in Blood looks terrible There 's nothing horrid in this friendly Bowl And it will do the deed as certainly And satisfie my angry Fate as well She drinks throws the Bowl one way and the Dagger another 'T is past the little argument of Life Is at an end and Death will soon conclude This is the fatal period of our Crimes Ending at last in certain Punishment And yet my Crimes methinks might well have past For my misfortunes to be pity'd Rather than punish'd but I must not tax The justice of the Gods they have their ends In every thing they do they have thought fit To judge 'em Crimes and so to doom 'em here Perhaps to warn too negligent a World By my example how they do engage In little things that may be dangerous If there is any profit of my Death 'T is well I do not grudge the benefit For I begin to find its comfort here Laying her self down on the Floor Enter Virginius and Junius to Favonia Junius runs to her assistance Jun. Extended on the Floor is this a sight To triumph in Vir. The Dagger or the Bowl Has rescu'd her and disappointed me I fear she 's almost got out of my reach Virginius kneels at her feet Junius at her head Jun. She 's in the Pangs of Death Vir. There let her stay And linger Ages out in Agony To glut my Eyes and satiate my revenge Jun. She 's going O! Favonia she is gone Favonia dyes Junius weeping over her Vir. Why let her go and with her all my Plagues Jun. I came to be a witness of thy Truth And Innocence but shou'd have come before To save thy Life Vir. Methinks you are too much Concern'd for her Jun. Begone and leave me here Your Title carry'd to the end of life No farther you have put an end to that And now I honestly may set up mine Vir. What Title Jun. To revenge her Death on you Junius starts upon his knees seizes upon Virginius they rise in a struggle Junius draws his Sword upon him You have involv'd me in this Murder here And made me an Accomplice of a deed To damn us both down to the lowest Hell If you dare justifie it draw your Sword Vir. Dare justifie it Jun. Dare. Vir. You know I dare Another Man had prov'd my daring too Before this time Jun. So every Coward says Vir. Nay then 't is past this only answers that They Fight both wounded Jun. 'T is as it shou'd be I was not to live Vir. I cannot long Junius falls by Favonia Jun. Then I have been a Friend Indeed if I have hasten'd on your Death For when I have confess'd a few sad Truths You 'll find I only have prevented you From laying violent hands upon your grief Cursing the light and falling to despair Vir. Your words have stuck attention in my heart Jun. Favonia is most innocent and wronged And you and I the only guilty here Vir. But prove her so and I shall dye with joy Falling at her feet Jun. In lov'd her for I may avow it now And you may thank your self who were the cause By bringing me into your Family I lov'd her with a passion that no bounds Cou'd circumscribe no violence cou'd
Junius left behind him Mag. I thank the Gods I have liv'd long enough To all the reasonable ends of Life Liv'd to my Friends my Country and my Fame Have glutted Nature with satiety Tir'd all her various appetites of change And 't wou'd be an unmannerly return For my good cheer and welcome of the Feast When I have sat it out to grudge to rise Blo We are all ready now to take our leave Mag. But one word more and then I go with you They support each other Pac. She 's Innocent and well provided for Mag. The Dead live after in the memory Of those alive so to be handed down Thro' all the Ages of Posterity As Tryers of their Fame abhorr'd or lov'd According to their good or ill in Life Pac. I wou'd be mention'd only in my Death Mag. Let it be said of us we wou'd have dy'd To save our Country since we cou'd not that Nothing cou'd tempt us to survive its fate Now lay us gently down Enter a Messenger Vib. What is thy News Mess Our Gates are open'd to the Enemy And Capua is no more Blo Wou'd it were so Better be nothing than be miserable Pac. Thou com'st too late to do us good or harm By any News that thou canst bring us now Mag. I pity our poor Friends that stay behind Our Minds are going to their native home And for the earthy part Pac. I 've taken care When we are honourably laid in Death My Clients have their orders to bestow Our Bodies on a Funeral Pile that 's rais'd On purpose to preserve our last remains Mag. 'T is well now kindle it and we shall mount Up to the Skies in the aspiring Flame And live Immortal in a glorious Name Dyes FINIS Books Printed for Benjamin Tooke at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleetstreet SIR Richard Bakers Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government unto the death of K. James I. Whereunto is added the Reign of K. Charles the I. and K. Charles II. The ninth Impression Corrected Folio Tables of Aesop and other Eminent Mythologist with Morals and Reflections by Sir Roger Lestrange Folio Numismata a Discourse of Meddals Ancient and Modern together with some Account of Heads and Effigies of Illustrious and famous Persons in Sculps and Taille-Douce of whom we have no Meddals Extant and of the use to be derived from them to which is added a Digression concerning Phisiognomy by John Evelyn Esq S. R. S. Folio Eight Chirurgical Treatises by Richard Wiseman Serjeant Surgeon to K. Charles II. The Third Edition Folio A Catalogue of Books Printed in England since the Dreadful Fire of London 1666 to the end of Michaelmas Term 1695. Folio A Collection of Cases and other Discourses lately written to Recover Dissenters to the Communion of the Church of England by some Divines of the City of London The Third Edition Folio The History of the Old and New Testament Extracted out of Sacred Scripture and Writings of the Fathers the whole Illustrated with 234 Sculptures Supervised and Recommended by Dr. Horneck and other Orthodox Divines 4 to Oroonoko a Tragedy written by Mr. Southern 4 to The She-Gallant a Comedy Heroick Love a Tragedy both written by the Honourable George Granvile Esq The Lovers Luck a Comedy written by Mr. Delks The Old Troop or Monsieur Raggou written by Mr. Lacy. The History of Massanello a Tragedy in two parts written by Mr. Dursey A New Theory of the Earth from its Original to the Consummation of all things by William Whesson M. A. and Chaplain to the right Reverend the Bishop of Norwich 8vo Memoir and Observations made in a late Journey thro' the Empire of China by Lewis le Compte Jesuit lately Missionary into the Eastern Countries The Third Edition 8vo A Relation of a Voyage made in the Years 1695 1696 and 1697 on the Coast of Africa Streights of Magellan and by a Squadron of French-Men of War under the Command of M. de Gennes Illustrated with Figures 8vo The Roman History from the Building of the City to the Removal of the Imperial Seat by Constantine the Great in 2 vol. by Laurence Echard M. A. 8vo Notes on Drydens Virgil by Mr. Milburn 8vo The History of the Buccaneers of America from their First Original down to this time written in several Languages and now Collected into one Volume Illustrated with 25 Copper Plates 8vo Kalendarium Hortense or the Gard'ners Almanack 8vo Acelaria or a Discourse of Sallets being the Second part of the Kalendarium Hortense both by John Evelyn Esq T. R. S. 8vo A Compleat Body of Chirurgical Operations containing the whole Practice of Surgery by M. de la Vaugaion M. D. and Intendant of the Royal Hospitals about Paris 8vo Reflections on what the World commonly calls Good Luck and Ill Luck with Regard to Lotterys written by M. Le Clerk 8vo A New Voyage to Italy in two Volumes by M. Messon 8vo A Compendium of Universal History by M. Le Clerk 8vo Dr. Chamberlains Present State of England the 19. Edition 8vo The Christians Pattern or a Treatise of the Imitation of Jesus Christ in four Books written in Latin by Thomas a Kempis made English by Dr. George Stanhope Salvation by Jesus Christ alone agreeable to the Rules of Reason and to the Laws of Justice by Tho. Staynoe Minister of Christ Church and St. Leonard Foster-Lane