and on which her vow was made Near. It does Ormasdes and did hers exceed When I first urg'd that sacred vow she made She but a Subject unto me appear'd Ormas And are you other now Near. Yes have you not heard that Prince Orontes Brother to our late King had a young Son Call'd Leonatus who by sad mishap Fencing with the Prince hurt him in the Eye Of which hurt he dyed and the King inrag'd Made vowes to Sacrifice the Murtherer As if the mischief purposely were done In order to his own Succession After Cleandra who was then married To a young Prince in Greece and setl'd there Orm. I 'ave often heard the Queen with sighs lament Her Brothers loss by that sad accident And say she pittied Leonatus death As innocent for that unhappy youth She heard was drown'd endeavouring to escape Her Fathers Vengeance he unjustly vow'd Near. She was mis-inform'd my Lord he yet lives 'T was by this fatall hand her brother fell And I accurs'd that have thus long surviv'd To fall a mis-becoming Sacrifice To Love by a disdainful Ladies Eyes After so long concealment and so safe By Old Nearcus put in this disguise Bred as his Son but now I Life despise And call to have that Justice on me done Which I have us'd much industry to shun Ormas You tell me wonders of a different kind Of which I shall enquire and if I find Valeriana stands ingag'd to you And all this story of your self prove True I will my best endeavors soon imploy This gross mistake of me to rectifie Near. If my address do find no good success The business of my life shall be to dye And whether by your hand or by command From our great Queen it is the same to me The Princess must my Life or Death decree Ormas I shall conceal your Name untill I see I may reveal it with securitie And in few hours if my desires succeed You shall from all your doubts and fears be freed Near. You will oblige me ever if you do Exit Nearcus Ormas My hour is come to wait upon the Queen Unto Valeriana where this Newes I hope will bring me off from the first Rock By Valeriana to be thus lov'd And by Cleandra for another woo'd And by Nearcus kill'd I know not why To me is a new kind of Misterie Exit Enter Valeriana brought in very weak lying in a Couch with Physitians and Servants She speaks very faintly Valeri Is not the Queen return'd to Court yet Lady No Madam Valeri I wish she were my heart dessolves so fast That I do find I shall few minutes last She faints Doct. Your fancy does your weakness much increase This passion is the worst of your disease Enter Queen and Ormasdes she sets him to stand unseen Doctor Oh Madam you are much wish'd for here Queen Let all withdraw I must be private now Onely do you Ormasdes stand unseen How is it with my friend Vale. I 'm glad that you are come to close my Eyes My spirits wast so fast that I must dye Queen I hope not yet Valeriana Vale. Alass Madam I had not liv'd till now But for the joy my broken heart conceives In hopes to hear Ormasdes is grown well Before I leave this world Queen T was the distemper of an Ague fit And he is now so far from being sick That he without begs leave to visit you Vale. Me did you say to visit me Madam Will Ormasdes visit me is it so Queen Yes He 's without and does by me desire You will admit him Why are you silent Now my endeavours prosper to your wish Vale. Does wise Cleandra think it will be fit That I in such a passion leave this World As I shall do if I see Ormasdes I shame to think that he should see me dye Yet cannot chuse but wish it heartily Queen Shall I call him in then why do you doubt Vale. Oh Madam I dare not see him must not You have said something to bring him hither Makes me fear to see him it must not be Que. Pray see him and let this great crime be mine His presence may your troubl'd heartrevive Vale. He cannot Madam for t is now too late I do feel here the heavy hand of Death Is crushing me to Ayre She faints in the Queens Armes Queen Ormasdes your help she dies she dies He draws and proffers to kill himself Ormas By all our Gods I will dye with her then Queen She lives again Ormasdes your help now He flings away his Sword and helps So let her head lye a little from us He kneels and holds her hand Ormas For Heav'n sake Madam tell what I must say Or what now must do is she not dead still Queen Does not her hand inform you that she lives Is it not warm Ormas Oh yes t is warm but I who never dar'd Thus boldly touch a Ladies hand till now Understand not how to use it as I ought He Kisses her hand Que. There needs no other kindness then you shew How is it now Valeriana Vale. Well Madam to well I fear to last so I dare not look that way because I blush To think how I have scandaliz'd my Sex And how Ormasdes now is justified In his contempt of Women for my sake I have no power to take away my hand Yet dare not own to leave it with him longer Ormas Oh why what has Ormasdes ever done Justly to merrit this dissertion Vale. Pray Madam say something in my behalf Either to hide or to excuse my shame Queen Turn this way then and let your Eyes excuse That guilt which will Ormasdes disabuse They turn her Ormas She looks desperately ill Queen T is only weakness and no danger in 't Pray call her Servants and let us retire Ormas Retire you have engag'd me now so far That I must see the Battle won or lost Before I can consent to a Retreat Queen T is late and she must sleep Ormas Why Madam so she may though I be by I 'le sit as silent as the God of sleep And here attend while her tir'd servants rest Queen You will not watch all night Ormasdes Ormas Oh but I will Madam watch night by night Till she recover This is my fixt Post Appointed by the Gods not your command Nor any force has power to take me hence While this good sword will hold for my defence Takes up his Sword Queen Why so fierce and violent Ormasdes I am much joy'd to see you thus concern'd And on this quarrel am not like to fight With such a man at Armes by candle light Or. For Heav'n sake Madam pardon my rash words And disrespect unto your Majesty For I do scaree know what I say or do I am become a stranger to my self So suddainly transform'd that I would hide Me from your â—…ight if I durst stir from hence Queen I will forgive so you 'l let me direct Your future actions I 'le your Love
Vale. You shall hereafter have it all at large Only know now he us'd a violence In shew with such unparallel'd deceits Such insolent demands so cunning couch'd His threats with humble looks so plain disguis'd That at first fight I found I was surpriz'd Then to avoid his purpose I was forc'd To use such doubtfull wordâ—… to bring me off His madness did interpret his own way While I was safe by what I wisely said To farther my escape when so afraid Thus was Cleandras trust and mine abus'd A baser treachery was never us'd Ormas You have inform'd me fully of his fact I suddainly will find Nearcus out And hurle such vengeance on his curs'd head Aside That all the World shall say t is well he 's dead They carry off Valeriana Exeunt omnes Enter Nearcus Near. T is strange I hear not of Ormasdes yet If he oblige me really I 'm his If not I shall resume my first resolves This his delay begets more jealousies Then my impatient burning heart can bear Enter Ormasdes Nea. Now Sir how have I prosper'd in your hands Ormasdes As you deserve Nearcus How is that Ormas With much scorn rejected Near. Is that my meâ—…rit in your opinion Ormas In mine as in Cleandras and in all Who have heard the ground of your false claim Which the fair Princess and her Servants tell A Treachery so base an act so foul That all do think Nearcus has no soul. Near. This you dare justifie Ormas I had not dar'd to tell it else me thinks My looks might shew my business was to find You out and now to let you know I must Defend the Princess in a cause so just Before I knew Valerianas heart Or was at all acquainted with my own I Judg'd your cause against her innocence But now inform'd the right from all I find No argument in Justice to compell Such a forc'd promise to Nearcus made Should now to Leonatus be perform'd Your juggling Arts and your disguised Name With your unworthy force ore-throws your claim Near. You are become a subtle Orator Since you convers'd with Ladies but I shall Your great Eloquence with this steele convince I am not to be frighted by big words We now must try the temper of our swords Ormas We must indeed though I lament my hand Should harm a man unto the Queen aly'd Ne. Shall that scruple this good sword once more Teach you to call for help as heretofore Ormas I may change your opinion with my own Near. Come then They Fight Ormasdes runs him through Disarmes him Ormas Get Surgeons for Nearcus presently My hurt is slight Exit Ormasdes Enter Surgeons or Servants who carry off Nearcus Enter the Queen in Valerianas Chamber with her and attended by Old Titus Old Nearcus Lords and Ladies a full Train Queen T is by your good nature Valeriana That this mans evil spirit threatens us Had you reveal'd Nearcus treachâ—…ry His punishment had suted with his crime Vale. Madam I do confess my leâ—…ity May have imbolden'd him to higher ills Which my just complaint might have prevented But then how hard a censure should I again By ruining so Eminent a man Who from his principles of honour fell Through love to me though I coÌ„temn'd his hopes His passion made me pitty his distress So far as his first errour to forgive In hope he might in better order live Queen You argue well and ought to justifie Your gentle disposition to forgive Mercy does 〈◊〉 young Princess much adorn But I am bound to vindicate my self My Nation suffers if I be not just To puniâ—… crimes like this I break my trust He is the first that ever dar'd asperse The Citherean Name by such a fact As no past Chronicle can parallel I shake to think how great your danger was And how much greater might have been my shame To trust a man who values not his fame Vale. Let not his faults your anger higher raise The punishment he feels by ill success Is a just doom for his unworthiness Queen His sentence must to after times appear Least my story be blemish'd with a thought That I did wink at such a crime as this My people will exclaim the Gods will frown If such a wickedness unpunisht pass He must dyâ—… Valeriana his house Be burnt the ashes scatter'd in the Ayre With prayerst ' appease our Citâ—…erian Gods We cannot offer a less Sacrifice Vale. For my saâ—…e let his doom be banishment If I have any favour in your Eyes Make not me guilty by that Sacrifice She knâ—… Queen Rise Mâ—…dam you shall govern as you please Enter to them Ormasdes and Young Titus Queen Ormasdes are you huâ—…t by that vil'd mâ—… Ormas It is too littlâ—… to be call'd a wound I come now to beg Nearcus pardon T was I that did inforce him to this fight Vale. And I most wrong'd who freely do forgive Queen The wrong was done to me Valeriana I put you in his power my trust he broke My honour for your safety was ingag'd Our Nation sâ—…ffers by his Villany The Citherean honour calls for Justice Against so barbarous a breach of Faith Nor was it you provok'd but were compell'd By him to fight for innocence aspers'd Ormas Madam though I shall never justifie Nearcus actions his misfortune may Admit excuse Because humane nature Is subject to passions which the best men Can never mannage as they ought how then May Valeriana's beauty guilty be That did excite Nearcus love and led Him into this distraction past his power To manage his own heart as we think best If so t is she has turn'd him to a Beast But when your Majesty shall call to mind The gallant service by this Mad-man done You will then pitty his Distraction Enter to them Nearcus brought in a Chair Queen What means this boldness Near. Madam I come not to beg your pardon But to justifie my actions and my self Against Ormasdes who does now with-hold Valeriana my betroathed Wife Coâ—…rm'd by vows in presence of the Gods Queen Now Ormasdes is he fit for pardon Ormas Yes Madam as a distracted person Near. Why do you wrong my person and my cause To call my just Title a distraction Do me Justice Cleandra or give me death Queen You may have both your wishes in good time Cleobulus guard him to the Castle Vale. Pray Madam let his doom be banishment Because his Crime went not beyond intent Queen Madam he must thank you for his life then Cleobulus see him a close prisoner Untill his wounds permit his banishment Near. I do your proffer'd mercies all refuse And either Death or Valeriana chuse Queen Lead him to banishment make him obey Near. Hold alittle Cleandra looke this way T is Leonatus calls he who at foyles The young Prince your Brother slew And fled your Fathers rage untill his death Then shelter'd by this borrow'd Name return'd And in Nearcus Family secur'd By this disguise liv'd as his onely Son
him gives me Strength but that face is none of mine and yet that name makes that face Lovely to me How I fool my self with vain hopes of what cannot be She lyes down sadly Tene How is it Sir your looks are lively and your wound though it did at first seem desparate is not very dangerous Polli My tongue moves heavily and painfully loss of blood makes me faint too how shall I travel with these wounds my stay here will be very dangerous and my Journey to Belgrade too long for one so weak as I am Tene The same gods that have preserv'd you to this day will not let you fall thus He faints and slumbers Selin They talk of Belgrade too who can this be give me way that I may gaze on this wonder She rises crowds in amongst them and stares on Pollider Tene Away wild Woman thou Author of this mischief Selin He looks up again those eyes are mine I know 'um now She offers to Embrace him Tene Throw her off tear her away she disturbs him sure she is mad They pull her from him Selin T is you are mad t is you that love him not why do you haile me thus whither will you dragg me did you not call him Pollinesso Titi. Yes Selid King Pollinesso Titi I think we did Selin That name is mine those wounds are mine then She offers to go to him but they hold her off Titi. I wish they were Selin And so do I with all my heart pray let me go to him I can heal him with my tears I 'le suck his wounds well for I have heard wounds have been cur'd so Tene How comes his name in her mouth Teck T was not well done of us to name him as we did best to stangle her least she discover us Titi. Shall I shoot her in the head though the Act be horrid t is better she perish then all we Teck Let us first hear what she will say to him we shall have time enough to kill her after Selin I pray who are all you Titi. T is very fit indeed that we should tell you Tene We are the hurt mans servants Lady pray who are you by whom we have receiv'd such dammage Selin If my eyes deceive me not I may be happy but am yet the most miserable accurs'd Woman living Titi I think so too Polli What Woman is that weeps so Tene T is she you rescued Sir Polli Did I rescue her loss of blood makes my eyes dazzle and my fancy work even to a lightness that face brings to my memory somthing that I have known why does she weep and why do you hold her so rudely Tenedor Pollidor and Selindra both look earnestly at each â—…ther Selin In charity to me Sir though they know it not for had they sooner let me know that Pollinesso liv'd my suddain joy had slain me Polli What is this she sayes Titi She is a Witch Sir I think Selin Does not my Brother know me yet has my sorrows wrought such a change that Pollinesso should not know me Polli Oh! my Astella pardon my dull sight for I am very weak He faints Selin Would I had dyed rather then be rescued at this rate so joyful and so sad a day I have not seen before Teck He does but slumber Madam and t is good he should do so Selin But slumber say you it looks so like death that I would dye to see it Tene Madam the Joy will out-live the sorrow of this day the Prince's hurt is without danger can your goodness pardon the rudeness which my self and these Lords in our distraction used you with Selin Alas my Lord I was not sensible of what you did my mind was so o're-loaden with my griefs and so intent on Pollinesso that I heard you not Now while my Brother takes this rest pray make me know how he escaped when my Father and Barzanes fell and why he has been thus long conceal'd Tene Madam in that sad day Pollinesso in vain attempting to save his Father was with my self and these you see here cast on a sandy bank from whence by good swimming we got to shoar and have been since disguised for fear of Lascares in several Princes Courts soliciting for aid to force the Grecians to quit their stollen possession of Hungary when in the midst of Pollinesso's preparation he hears that Phillocles had resign'd the Crown to be preserv'd for you This made us lay aside all further preparation for War and thus disguis'd to pass this way to Belgrade It seems by destiny directed to your rescue Selin I shall find some fitter time for my own story t were good that we removed my Brother he walks how are you Sir has this repose refresht you Polli I am something better then I was Astella and shall soon be well now I may look on thee Sel. And I most happy my brother you must give us leave to remove you to some place of rest and safety and you must be still conceal'd which these new wounds with your Perriwig will be disguise enough Pol. I shall be directed by you Sel. You must also a little counterfeit your voice least you be remember'd by it for should Lascares know who were in his power all his hopes of Hungarie would vanish untill he saw you dead I am call'd Selindra here Pol. Who were those Robbers and how came you amongst them Selin 'T was Cleonell who did beguile me after he had sworn to carry me to Belgrade was conveying me to his own Castle Pol. Was not Cecropiu's son and will not his death be our ruine if we stay here Sel. My interest in the Princess Ordella will secure you and his guilt was such a crime as can expect no justice from the law to touch you besides the rescue you brought the Prince will merrit a reward but where is Phillocles where is the Prince we are all lost indeed if he be falln I have been so much distracted that I mist him not till now Tecknor What Prince mean you Madam Sel. Prince Phillocles 't was he my brother rescued run look search about the Wood for heaven sake search unfortunate Astella and unworthy that could thus long forget him now Pollinesso lives I have no hate to Phillocles methinks his vertues now look gloriously upon him but how shall I look on Ordella if her beloved brother have lost his life to save my honour Pol Was it Phillocles that I found fighting with Cleonell and his two men Selin 'T was he Pol. 'T is strange I knew him not but I now remember as I came in he did persue the man that fled into the wood let some look that way Selindra I must glory in my wounds that have sav'd thee from false Cleonell and relieved Phillocles who my soul thirsts to see next thy self most dear to me Sel. And mine trembles at his absence Enter Phillocles bloody and weary leaning on his sword he calls
Who dyed as I return'd is it death yet Qu No this insolence shall not change your doom Nor your confeâ—…t disguise long known to me Force a punishment beyond the merrit Of that sad mishap which I believe Was fatall accident no purpos'd crime Though my Father look'd on his onely Son By your hand slain with such revenging rage As might his loss become and him ingage To throw out yows that Justice should persue So great a Traytor as he then thought you For your succession after me became His fancies object which encreas'd your blame But I who have exactly been inform'd Of my dead Brothers love and yours now must For that sad accident to you be just Near. I 'le rather quit my innocence then own Your mercy when you Justice do deny Give me the fair Princess or give me death Queen I cannot with Justice give you either How can I a free Princes will compell Or how Ormasdes true pretence deâ—…y Or how afford you death for that offence Which your unluckie hand did act by chance Near. Wou'd I had dyed the day of my return Since great Cleandra dares not do me Right But suffers false Ormasdes to possess What is my due Tall your mercy scorn And will the worst of Tyranny enduâ—…e Queen I have imploy'd you as my Brothers friend Thus long not at his Murtherer conniv'd And untill now by force compell'd my face To frequent smiles in favor of your worth While my heart ak'd to think what you had done But you of late unworthy our great Name Have scandaliz'd the Citherean Fame Boldly to own a Crime so great as may insence The world to question your first innocense Which clearly shews you are for mischief built That dar'd to entertain so base aguilt My mercy may prove sin unless betimes My Justice do prevent your farther crimes Near. Must I be held and baited thus to death Be torn and tortur'd by a womans breath Queen See my Command obey'd Cleobulus I shall take order for an Equipage Fit for your great birth and shall now confine You to an Island near from whence you may Return if you out-live me and mine Remove him hence Ne. Hold a while curse on curse light on you all For this unjustice which you mercy calâ—… Tyrants cruel Tyrants your juggling Art Lay by and strike a Dagger through my heart If Ormasdes any honour have in store He 'l fight another bout upon the Shore As I take ship and if I chance to Dye My soul shall then applaud thy Victory And sing thy praise to the infernal Ghosts That they may chuse thee Captain of their Hosts When thou com'st down Let not a Ladies word Dâ—…stroy by piercing deeper then thy sword Will you not answer cruel and unjust Ye gods why put you Scepters into womens trust Who crushes me to raise a Cowards Name Whom I will in the Elizium fields Defame No honor'd Ghost of Troy shall there own thee The Grecian and the Roman Souls with me Will trample on thy Cowards neck with scorn Poor shadow of a gallant man only born To lye in Ladies laps perfum'd and curl'd I 'le Post thee â—…oward in the other World They force him away on the Queen beck with heâ—… hand Admi. T is strange that none of us should know him Young Titus The general opinion he was drown'd Made us not see through his disguise Admir But his strange passion does amaze me most Ormasdes wedding will his frenzy cure When love does see no possibility Desires and hopes will vanish by degrees You. Titus We see dispairs work often other wayes Queen He has disturb'd me but I 'le forget him Valeriana come let us consult The Ceremony of your Wedding day Ormasdes joys and yours will blow away The farther thought of Leonatus crimes Vale. Our Wedding Madam I see no reason For so great a hast now we are secure Or. Madam since you have rais'd my hopes so high It were a sin to doubt my destiny Yet say when shall my thoughts so fixt remain That I may never think I dream again Vale. Ormasdes not too fast we must proceed With much discretion to so great a deed The eyes of all this Nation do behold Our actions and may think my part too bold If I again shall do what I repent It would deserve a double punishment My over-hasty Love was once my crime I must redeem that fault by taking time To finish what so violent begun Least into greater errours I do run A year or two's delay will add much grace To our young Love which Time cannot deface Orma Why have you led me forth with gentle gales Into this dangerous deep why fill'd my sailes With such propitious winds as would convey Me safe to my wish'd Port the nearest way Why do you now abstruct this happy course As if you wish'd for storms or somthing worse Why thus foâ—… sake the Light to sail i th' dark As if you sought out hazzards for this Bark In which you are the onely fraight that I Can fear to lose by my mortality Oh! do not then my Joyes to time betray Least you do ruine all by your delay Queen How Valeriana must this Scene of Love Fall from its height and now no farther move Does your quick conquest of Ormasdes make Him less worthy when we such pris'ners take As might our selves command if they will serve We cannot give them more then they deserve Consider well least you your self destroy If thus you do defer Ormasdes joy Vale. Madam you and the world too well do know My Love to him can now no higher grow I onely thus stand off least he despise A conquest gain'd without an enterprize And that my injur'd Sex hereafter may Judge of my innocence by this delay Honour forbids that we in hast ingage Rash actions often ill events presage Though I like a tall ship that spreads her sails When she is carried on with prosperous gales To her wish'd Port do sigh to be delay'd And blame the Remora by which I 'm staid Ormas Honour and Fancy at great distance stand You have no argument for this command But your own nice unnecessary thought By which your virtue may become a fault T is true that my neglects to woman kind May urge that I should now no favour find Till my whole life be spent to gain a bliss To crown my latests hours with joyes like this I do confess such judgement were my due From all the women in the world but you Who have no argument nor a pretence Why you should prove the Rod for my offence Vale. Ormasdes true I only now would prove By some short time the temper of your Love And shew the world that mine was not in hast Though its first motion mov'd so fierce and fast It makes me blush to think that this great Queen And her whole Nation have such weakness seen As all commanding Love forc'd me to show Oh! t is a bold attempt when