discourses are Distastefull grown but what to sudden war Incites his rage which humor though it needs No greater fire then what his envy feeds Besides those Court-Tarantula's whose breath Stings easie Princes till they dance to death At the delightfull sound of flattery there Were deeper wits such whom a subtile care Not servile fear taught how to aggravate His angers flame till their own eager hate Though burning with a mortal fury might Pass unobserv'd since near a greater light Amongst those few whose love did not depend So much on fortune but the name of friend Was still preserv'd the faithfull Cyprian Prince Durst onely strive by reason to convince Their wilder passions but each Argument With which affection strugl'd to prevent A swift destruction onely seem'd to prove His friendship more effectual then his love From which mistake such as did strive to please The angry Princes passionate disease With what might seed the sickly humors draw A consequence that proves Pharonnida A blessing which was to his merits due Who most oppos'd the bold aspirer to That throne of Beauty which before possest Whole Armies must dispute their interest The slighted Cyprian since their fear could trust None but confederates from their Councils thrust Those swift conclusions which before to stay Their violence had Reason's cool allay Hurry'd to action strict commands are sent From fierce Zoranza through each Regiment Which stoop'd their Ensignes to his power that by Such marches as they 'd follow victory They reach Aetolia ere its new-crown'd King Warn'd by report had liberty to bring Opposing strengths a task too hard to be Perform'd with ease in powers minoritie Nor fails this Council for their Army draws No sooner near but such as in the cause Of unsuccessful Rebels late had been Expos'd to danger seek for refuge in A fresh revolt and since their ulcerous guilt Was so malignant that even mercy spilt Its balm in vain their injur'd Prince forsake To strengthen his proud Enemies who make Those Poisons up in Cordials and compound Them with their Army which being thus grown sound Whereas it lately fainted durst provoke Unto the trial of another stroke His late victorious forces which though yet Faint with the blood lost in the last great fit Of Honors fever when the Crisis prov'd The cures prognostick had with ease remov'd The proud invaders had Morea bin As heretofore a hurtful Neuter in That war which now since double strengths oppose Brave fortitude like base oppression shews So long both parties with varietie Of fortune fought that fearing whose might be The sad success that old Cleander in Such speed as if his Crown engag'd had bin Raises an Army whose command since he Base flattery takes for brave fidelitie Waving those Peers to whose known faith he owes The most of trust in hoodwink'd hope bestowes On false Almanzor who by power advanc'd Near to those hopes at which Ambition glanc'd But like weak eyes upon the dazeling sun From that last â—atal sâ—age his plots begun Mischiefs dark course which ere concluded shall Crush the Epirot in Morea's fall In this the hot distemper of their state Aâ—indâ— whom the Destinies of late To double-die his Honors purple-thred Robb'd of a father most disquieted Their secret councels since they knew the love He bore Argalia propt with power might prove A sad obstruction to their plots if he Urg'd by distastes shook their confederacie Off to assist his friend which to oppose With slattery fleeting as the gourd that rose But to discover his just wrath that made The plant to cover when it could not shade They all attempt though he engage not in Their party yet his easie youth to win By honors moths by times betrayers soft And smooth delights those serpents which too oft Strangle Herculean vertues But they here In Ages April find a wit appear Of such full growth that by his judgment they Are undermin'd who studied to betray Being thus secur'd from forein fears they now Imploy that rage whose speed could scarce allow Advice from Councel to extirpate those New planted Laurels vict'rie did compose To crown Argalia But before they go To ravish Conquest from so cheap a Foe Whose valor by orewhelming power was barr'd From lying safe at a defensive guard Till old Cleander that their league might be Assur'd by bonds whose firm stabilitie Death only could divorce intends though she With such aversion as their destinie Wretches condemn'd would shun attempt to fly The storm of fate yet countmanded by His power the fair Pharonnida although He not to love but duty seem'd to owe For such a blessing should Zoranza's be Confirm'd by Hymen's high solemnitie This resolution whose self-ends must blame Her fathers love once registred by fame Submits to censure whilst Pharennida Laments her fate some prompted by the law Of love and nature are to entertain So much of freedom as they prove in vain Her advocates Others whose cautious fear Dares only pity in that dress appear Silent and sad only Almanzor in This State-distemper by that subtile sin Dissimulation so disguises all His black intentions that whilst truth did call Him Treasons agent its reflected light Appearance spoke him Vertues proselyte So much a Convert as if all those hot Crimes of his youth ambition had begot Discreeter age had either cool'd or by Repentance chang'd to zeal and loyalty Whilst thus i' th' Court the most judicious eyes Deluded were by factions false disguise By rumors heavy as the damps of death When they flie laden with the dying breath Of new-departed souls this fatal news Assaults the Princess which whilst reason views With sad resentments to support her in This storm of fate Amindor who had bin In all her griefs her best adviser now Enters to tell her fainting sorrows how They'd yet a refuge left from whom she might Reap hopes of safety The first welcom sight Of such a friend whose former actions had â—nhanc'd his worth encountring with her sad And serious thoughts so rarifies that cloud Of grief that ere dissolving tears allow'd A vocal utterance as intended words Something contain'd too doleful for records Both sigh'd both wept at length the Princess broke Silence and thus lier dismal passions spoke Dare you my Lord approach so near unto A factious grief in this black storm to view Distrest Pharonnida have either I Or my Argalia's slighted memorie Yet in Morea a remaining friend Whose vertue dares by its own strength contend Against this torrent of Court-factions Now Now Royal Sir that doom which will allow My soul no more refreshing slumbers by My father's past my father Sir whom I Must disobey with all the curses due To black rebellion or else prove untrue Those vows those oft repeated vows which in Our Loves full growth hath to Argalia bin Seal'd in the sight of heaven About to speak Her passions fuller sorrow here did break The sad theme off and to proclaim her fears Except th'oreflowing language of her tears
bin A stranger to the sad events of this So dismal night he by relation is Inform'd of each particular which he Seeming to hear in griefs extremity From silent sorrow which appear'd to wait On still attention his prepar'd deceit Disguis'd in rage appears a rage which in Its active flight to finde what hearts had bin Defil'd with thoughts of such foul crimes did seem So full of zeal its actions did redeem The lost report of loyalty in those His former crimes made his most constant foes By guarded gates and watchfull parties that Surround the walls till th' people frighted at Their fury shrink from publick throngs they now Assur'd of safety whilst enquiring how Hell hatch'd these monsters whose original Whilst searching they by the consent of all His best Physitians whose experienc'd skill From outward signs knew what internal ill Death struck the Prince inform'd the cause could be From nought but such a subtil enemy As poyson which when every accident They had examin'd all conclude was sent Mixt with that cordial whose conceal'd receit Unknown to art their envy term'd the bait To tempt the easie Princes faith into That net which death allur'd by treason drew With power from this imbrac'd suspition sprung Almanzor who not envies spotted tongue Durst call prophane though rudely forcing those Weak gates which need no greater strength t' oppose Unclean intruders then the reverence they Inforc'd by zeal did with Religion pay Unto that places sanctity which he Contemning ere the wrong'd societie Expecting such injurious visits in Rude fury entring those whose power had bin Imploy'd by noble pity to attend The suffring Princess in such haste did send Them to her close and dark abodes that now Their doubts confirm'st they 're only studying how To shun that danger which informing fear Falsly perswades towards them alone drew near Which dark suspition ere unclouded by Seising on him whose innocence durst fly To no retreat the Royal fugitives Back to the vault where first they enter'd drives Now at the great'st antipathie to Day The silent earth opprest with Midnight lay Vested in clouds black as they had been sent To be the whole worlds mourning monument When through the Caves damp womb conducted by A doubtful light that scarce inform'd the eye To find out those unhaunted paths they in A faint assurance with soft pace begin To sally forth where unsuspected they Are seis'd by guards that in close ambush lay Which ere amazement could give action leave To seek for safety did their hopes deceive By close restraint aw'd by whose power they 're to Almanzor brought who from that object drew Such joy as fills usurpers when they see Wrong'd Princes strugling with captivitie From hence in such disdainful silence led As taught their fear from just suspition bred To tremble at some unknown ill about That sober time when Lights small lamps go out At the approach of Days bright glories brought Back to the Court they there not long had sought Their sorrows sad original before A Court conven'd of such whose power had bore Whilst Gods own choice a Monastry had lent Their dictates law the weight of government They hither call'd by summons that did sound Like bold rebellion in sad omen found More then they fear'd A mourning train of Lords Plac'd round a black tribunal that affords To the spectators penetrated eye A dismal horror cloath'd in majestie Like hierogliphicks pointing to that fate Which must ensue all yet in silence sate A dreadful silence such as unto weak Beholders seem'd to threaten when they speak Death and destruction dictates when they saw Their Princess enter'd as if rigid Law To loyal duty let the scepter fall In an obedient reverence rais'd they all Lowly salute her but that complement To bribe their pity fear in vain had spent When all resuming now their seats command The Royal captives whose just cause did stand On no defence but unknown truth to be Summon'd to th' bar where that they first might see What rigor on the royal blood was shewn From no unjust conspiracie had grown A sable curtain from their herses drawn Betrays her eyes then in the sickly dawn Of grief grown dim unto that horrid place Where they met death drawn in her fathers face By whom now turn'd into well-model'd clay Fitted for 's tomb the slain Epirot lay At this as if some over-venturous look For temperate rays destructive fire had took In at her souls receiving portals all Lifes functions ceas'd sorrow at once le ts fall The burthen of so many griefs which in A death-like slumber had forgotten bin Till humane thoughts obliterated by The wishâ— conversions of eternity Opprest no more had not inâ—urious haste Before this conflict could those spirits waste Which had to shun passions external strife Fled to the primum mobile of life Recall'd with them her sorrows to attend Their nimblest motions which too fast did spend Her strength to suffer weakness to obay The Courts intentions of a longer stay From ruffl'd passions which her soul opprest By the soft hand of recollecting rest Strok'd to a calm which setl'd reason in Her troubled throne by those that first had bin Her guards the Princess that fair pattern whence Men drew the height of humane excellence Is now return'd to let her proud foes see That the bright rays of magnanimitie Though envy like th' ungrateful moon do strive To hide that sun except what 's relative Ne'r knows eclipse the darkness taking birth From what 's below whilst that remov'd from earth Her clear unclouded conscience ever stays Amongst bright vertues universal rays The mourning Court those ministers of fate In expectation of their prisoners sate They now appear in those disguises which They first were took being habits though not rich Enough to gild their rare perfections yet Such as did seem by sorrow made to fit Their present sufferings both the men cloth'd in Monastick robes black as their threds had bin Spun from Peruvian wooll the women clad Like mournful Votaries shew'd so sweetly sad As if their vertues which injurious fate Did yet conceal striving t' anticipate The flights of time had to th' external sence Shew'd these as emblems of their innocence But love nor pity though they both did here Within their Judges sternest looks appeare Durst plead for favor their indictments read So guilty sound that those whose hearts even bled Disdain'd their eyes should weep since justice did In such foul crimes mercy as sin forbid Yet more to clear what circumstance had made Level with reason from th' approaching shade Of death redeem'd that Lord whose wounds had bin But slumbers to recover safety in When the Messenian murdred was did now Declare as far as reason could allow The eyes to judge those habits which they then Did wear the same which cloath'd the murth'rers when His Prince was slain which open proof appears So full of guilt it stops her friends kinde fears Ere rais'd to hope
and in appearance shews A guilt which all but pitty overgrows The vext Epirots who for comfort saw Revenge appearing in the form of Law Retir'd to feed their spleen with hope until Th' extent of Justice should their vengeance fill When now by accusations that denide Access to pity for a Paracide The Princess question'd whose too-weak defence Being but the unseen guards of innocence Submits to censure yet to shew that all Those scatter'd pearls which from her eyes did fall Dropt not t' attempt their charity but shew That no injurious storm could overslow Her world of Reason which exalted stood Above the surface of the spacious stood Her tears for grief not guilt being shed whilst in The robes of magnaminity not sin Grown impudent her brave resolv'd soul sate Unshaken in this Hyrocane of sate To meet her calm which like religion drest Doth all become but female vertues best The rough Amindor whose discolour'd face Anger did more then native beauty grace Since justly rais'd disdaining thus to be By a Plebian base captivity Forc'd to submit his innocence unto Their doubtfull test had from his anger drew A ruine swifter then their hate intends Had not his rage whilst it toward danger bends Been taught by her example to exclude Vain passions with a Princely fortitude Whose usefull aid like those good works which we For comforts call in deaths necessity Brought all their better Angels to defend Them from those terrors which did death attend In busie whispers which discover'd by Their doubtfull looks the thoughts variety Long in sad silence sate the Court until Those noiseless streams of fancy which did fill Each several brest united by consent Want onely now a tongue so impudent As durst condemn their Soveraign which being in Theumantius found a Lord whose youth had been By favor nurs'd till power 's wild beast grown rude Repays his Fost'rer with ingratitude This bold bad man Loves most unhappy choice From flatteries Treble now exalts his voice Without the mean of an excuse into The Laws loud Base and what those fear'd to doe That had been favour'd less that black decâ—ee Pronounc'd which discords all the harmonie Of subject fear and soveraign love by what Succeeding ages justly trembl'd at Whilst innocent but have of late been grown So bad to shew such monsters of their own This sentence past which knew no more allay Of mercy then what lets their judgments stay From following life to deaths obscure retreat Till twenty nights had made their days compleat The Court breaks up yet ere from publick vâ—ew To close restraint the Royal captives drew Grant them this favor from their rigid laws That if there durst to vindicate their cause In that contracted span of time appear Any whose forward valor durst indear The peoples love and prayers so much to be Their Champion that his victory should free Them from that dooms strict rigor to oppose Which brave Attempter they Almanzor chose Since high command that honor did afford To him alone to weild the answering sword Now near departing whilst the Cyprian in A brave disdain which for submissive sin Looks on an answer as his haste would show An anger that did scorn to stoop so low To strike with threats stands silent whilst that she Whose temper heaven had made too calm to be By rage transported with a soul unmov'd By stormy passions thus their sin reprov'd Should I my Lords here with a female haste Discharge my passions 't were perhaps to waste My prayers or threats whilst one you would not fear Nor th' other pity But when heaven shall clear This curtain'd truth wrapt in whose cloudy night Unjustly you from my unquestion'd right By birth obedience into faction stray Then though too late untimely sorrow may Strive by repentance to expunge these stains Cast on your honor These exhausted vains Fixt eyes pale cheeks deaths dismal trophies in This royal face I now could not have seen With a less sorrow then had serv'd to call Me to attend him had not the rude fall Of your unjustice like those dangerous cures Perform'd by tutning into Calentures Dull Lethargies upon my heart laid hold In such a flame of passion as the cold Approach of death wants power to quench until You add that crime to this preceding ill Yet though no fear can prompt my scorn to crave A subjects mercy for my self to save This Noble Stranger whose just acts being crost By misconstruction have their titles lost I shall become your suppliant lest there be A sin contracted by his serving me And onely in such noble wayes as might Unveil themselves to th' suns Meridian light Sure he unjustly suffers which may cause You want more swords to vindicate your Laws Then his you late elected to make good Your votes ere scarce cleans'd of that loyal blood He in rebellion shed but I am now Too near my fatal period to allow Disturbing passion any place within My peacefull soul what ere his crimes have been In publick war or private treason may Kinde Heaven when with th' injustice of this day Those shall be strictly question'd to prevent Their doom conceal them in the large extent Of mercies wings which there may prove so kinde To you though here I can no justice finde This spoken in a garb that did detect A sorrow which was ripened to neglect She silent stands whilst through the thick resort Of throng'd Spectators toward the rising Court Orlinda comes with such a haste as shew'd That service she by Love's allegiance ow'd Love which had sorrows sable wings out-fled To mourn the living not lament the dead Come where her fears now near lost object she Within the shadow of the Grave might see By sentence shut neglecting death that lay In ambush there her reason to betray To hate when by the false informing Law Her Friend she as her brother's murtherer saw In actions such as Scythian Tyrants feel Some softness from she that ne'r us'd to kneel Too ought but heaven a lowly suppliant falls Before the Court from whose stern brests she calls So much of sorrow as perhaps had strook Them all with horror if a sudden look Obliquely on her murther'd brother cast Had not ere Love assaulted with her last And powerfull'st pray'rs whilst hot with action in A cool retreat of spirits silenc'd bin She fainting faln as an addition to Their former grief is from the throng withdrew Into the free untainted air where by Assisting Friends which gently did apply Their needfull aid heat which was then grown slack In Natures work antipathy calls back To beauties frontiers where like bashfull light It in a blush meets the Spectators sight But such a one as ere full blown is by Her Friends disasters forc'd again to fly Beneath those clouds of grief whose swelling pride Spread by report did now not onely hide The Court or City but to bear a part Of that sad load summons each Subjects heart Whilst now the Prisoners ere
hours of the succeeding night to find How in that factious troubl'd sea inclin'd The City stood whose shallow sons dare vent By nothing but their tongues that discontent Their hands might cure were not those useful parts Restrain'd from action by unmanly hearts Which being at once with grief and fear opprest Durst do no more but pity the distrest Which gentle passion since so general lends Some light of hope to her enquiring friends To usher in that dismal day whose light Design'd to lead into eternal night As much of beauty as did ere give place To death the morning shews her gloomy face Wrapt up in clouds whose heavy vapors had Hung heaven in black when to perform the sad And serious office of â—onfessors to Those royal sufferers whom harsh fates persue To deaths dark confines through their guard of foes Argalia and his grave assistant goes Where he whose love to neither did surmount His zeal to take the Cyprians last account Himself addrest whilst his kind passions lead Argalia from Pharonnida to read Her lifes last story made authentick by The near approach of her eternity Enter'd the room which to his startl'd â—ight Appear'd like sorrow sepulcher'd in night So dismal sad so silent that the cold Retreat of death the grave did ne'r unfold A heavier object by a sickly light Which was even then to th' artificial night That fill'd the room resigning'ts reign he saw Griefs fairest draught divine Pharonnida Amidst her tears faln like a full-blown flower Whose polisht leaves oreburthen'd with a shower Drops from their beauties in the pride of day ' To deck the earth so sadly pining lay The pensive Princess whom an extasie Oâ— passion led to practise how to die In such abstracted contemplations that Angels forsook their thrones to wonder at Wet with those tears in whose Elixar she Was bathing of the Lilies nurserie Her bloodless cheeks her trembling hand sustan'd A book which what heavens mercy hath ordain'd For a support to humane frailty in Storms of affliction lay which as she 'd bin Now so well in repentant lectures read That faith was on the wings of knowledge fled To meditation her unactive grief Lets softly fall whilst Time wise natures thief That all might look like sorrows swarthy night Is stealing forth of the neglected Light Whose sullen flame as it would sympathize With those quencht beams that once adorn'd her eys After a feeble blaze that spoke its strife But vain in silence weeps away its life Come to behold this beauteous monument Of mourning passion his great spirits spent On love and wonder the astonish'd Prince Here silent stands valor could not convince His wild amazement To behold her lie By rigid laws restrain'd from libertie To whom his soul was captive troubles all His reasons guards But when how she must fall From beauteous youth and vertuous life to be One of the graves obscure societie Must fall no Martyr whose lamented death Grows pities object but depart with breath ' Mongst ignominious clouds of guilt that must Stick an eternal odium on her dust That thought transports him from his temper to Passions in which he had forgot to do His Priestly office and in rage as high As ever yet inflam'd humanitie Sent him to actions whose attempt had bin The rode his valor must have perish'd in Had not her sorrows agony forsook The Princess by whose first unsteady look He being as far as his disguise gave leave Discover'd is invited to receive Those last confessions in whose freedom she Seeks by absolving comforts how to free Her soul of all which a religious fear Like spots on her white conscience made appear Having from her unburthen'd soul learnt how To ease his own the Priestly Prince had now As far as bold humanitie durst dive Into remission heavens prerogative Pronounc'd that pardon for whose seal there stood The sin-polluted worlds redeeming blood By which blest voice rais'd from what did appear Like sorrow till her faith had banish'd fear The Princess in such gentle calms of joy As souls that wear their bodies but to cloy Celestial â—lights can feel to entertain Her fatal doom with a resolv'd disdain Of death prepares whilst he whom heaven to her Had made their mercies happy Messenger Forsaking her repairs to him that had With the same hand the Cyprians thoughts unclad By whom inform'd how that in their defence His sword protected nought but innocence Arm'd with those blessings which so just a cause Proclaim'd his due he secretly withdraws To change those emblems of Religious peace Monastick robes for such as might increase Their joy and wonder whose contracted fear Despair'd to see a Combatant appear Although they knew his sword defended then The best of causes ' gainst the worst of men Whilst he prepares with near as much of speed As incorporeal substances that need But will for motion to defend her in Th' assaults of death that hour which long had bin The dreadfull expectation of those friends That pitied her arriv'd in sorrow ends Fears cold disease those Ministers of fate The props to all that 's illegitimate The Army to suppress the weak essayes Of love or pity guarded had the wayes By which illegal power conducted her From that dark room griefs curtain'd Theater To be beheld upon the publick stage The glory yet the scandal of the age Which two extreams met on the scaffold in A Princess suffering and a peoples sin Which now join'd to the dreadful pomp that cals His Subjects to attend the funerals Of her lov'd father whose lifes vertues won Tears for his death thus solemnly begun Remov'd no further from the City then An hours short walk though undertaken when Sol rag'd in Cancer might with ease convay Scorcht travellers a dismal temple lay In a dark vally where more antient times Had perpetrated those religious crimes Of humane offerings to those Idols that Their hands made for their hearts to tremble at Yet this since now made venerable by Those reverend reliques of antiquity The Spartan Princes monuments by those Of later times though alter'd faith is chose For their retreat when lifes extinguisht glory Sought rest beneath a silent dormitory Nor stood this fabrick all alone long since A Palace by some melancholy Prince Which hated light or lov'd the darkness built To please his humor or conceal his guilt So near it stood to distant eyes which sent Thither their beams it seem'd one monument Whose sable roof ' mongst Cypress shadows fills The deep dark basis of those barren hills With such a mournfull Majesty as strook A terror into each beholders look Awfull as if some Diety had made That gloomy vale to be the sacred shade Where he chose in enigma's to relate The dark decrees of mans uncertain fate Betwixt this temple and the City stood In squadrons thick as shews an ancient wood To distant sight the Army plac'd to be In this sad march their guilts securitie Whose glittering swords shon as