yet forbidden vanity Created sicke commanded to be sound What meaneth Nature by these diuers lawes Passion and Reason selfe-diuision cause It is the marke or maiesty of Power To make offences that it may forgiue Nature her selfe doth her owne selfe deflower To hate those errors she her-selfe doth giue For how should man thinke that he may not doe If Nature did not faile and punish too Tyrant to others to her selfe vniust Onely commands things difficult and hard Forbids vs all things which it knowes is lust Makes easie paines vnpossible reward If Nature did not take delight in blood She would haue made more easie waies to good We that are bound by vowes and by promotion With pompe of holy Sacrifice and rights To teach beleefe in good and still deuotion To preach of Heauens wonders and delights Yet when each of vs in his owne heart lookes He finds the God there farre vnlike his bookes ACTVS II. SCENA I. Camena alone They that from youth do sucke at Fortunes brest And nurse their empty heart with seeking higher Like dropsie fed their thirst do neuer rest For still begetting they beget desire And thoughts like wood while they maintaine the flame Of high desires grow ashes in the same But Vertue those that can behold thy beauties Those that sucke from their youth the milke of goodnes Their mindes grow strong against the stormes of fortune Like rockes in seas which in the goodly weather Giue rest to birds that in their courses wander And in the stormes stand fast themselues vnshaken Though ruines oft vnto desire mistaken O vertue whose thrall I thinke fortune Thou who despisest not the sexe of women Helpe and out of the riddles of any fortune Whereon me thinkes you with your selfe depose me Let Fate goe on sweet vertue doe not loose me My mother and my husband haue conspired For brothers good the ruine of my brother My father by my mother is inspired For one child to seeke the ruine of the other I that to helpe by nature am required While I do helpe must needes still hurt a brother While I see who conspires I seeme conspired Against a husband father and a mother Truth bids me runne by truth I am retired Shame leades me both the one way and the other With danger and dishonour I am hired To doe against a husband and a mother In what a labyrinth is honour cast Drawne diuers waies with Sexe with Time and State In all which errors course is infinite By hope by feare by spite by loue by hate And but one onely way vnto the right A thorny way where payne must be the guide Danger the light offence of power the praise Such are the golden hopes of Iron daies Yet honor I am thine forthy sake sorry Since base hearts for their base ill-plac'd desires In shame in danger death and torments glory That I cannot with more paynes write thy story And Fortune if thou scorn'st those that scorne thee Shame if thou doe hate those that force thy trumpet To sound aloud and yet despise thy sounding Lawes if you loue not those that be examples Of natures lawes whence you are fallen corrupted Conspire that I against you all conspired Ioyned with tyrant vertue as you call her That I by your reuenges may be named For vertue to be ruin'd and defamed My mother oft and diuersly I warned What fortunes were vpon such courses builded That Fortune still might be with child with mischiefe Which is both borne and nourisht out of mischiefe I told her that euen as the silly Doue Seeld vp with her owne lids to seeke the light Still coueteth vnto the heights aboue Till fallen she feeles the lacke was in her sight So man benighted with his owne selfe-loue Still creepeth to the rude imbracing night Of Princes grace a lease of glories let Which shining burnes breeds Syrens where it 's set And by this creature of my mothers making This messenger I Mustapha haue warned That Innocence is not enough to saue Where good and greatnesse feare and enuy haue Till now in reuerence I haue forborne To aske or to presume to gesse or know My fathers thoughts whereof he might thinke scorne For dreadful is that State which all may doe Yet they that alll men feare are fearefull too Loe where he comes Vertue worke thou in me That what thou seekest may accomplisht be ACTVS II. SCENA II. Solyman and Camena Soly. Vilde death is not thy selfe sufficient anguish But thou must borrow feare the threatning glasse Which while it goodnes hides and mischiefe showes It lightens wit to honors ouerthrow But husht me thinkes away Camena steales Murther belike in me her selfe reueales Camena whither now why haste you from me Is it so strange a thing to be a father Cam. My Lord me thought nay sure I saw you busie Your child vncald presumes that comes to you Solym. Who may presume with fathers but their owne Whome Natures law hath euer in protection And guides in good beliefe of deare affection To make it greater and the better known Cam. Nay reuerence childrens worthes do closest hide As of the Father it is least espied Solym. I thinke who euer know their children least Haue greatest reason for to loue them best Cam. How so my Lord since loue doth knowledge shew And Babes their parents by their kindnes know Solym. The life we gaue them they do soone forget While they thinke our liues do their fortunes let Cam. The Father sees his image in the sonne Soly. But streames backe to their springs do neuer runne Cam. Pardon my Lord doubt is successions shrow Let not her spight poore children ouerthrow Though streames from springs do seeme to runne away Ti 's Nature leades them to their mother Sea Sol. Doth nature teach vs by the Fathers death To seeke his throne by whome we haue our breath Cam. Things easie to desire do seeme impossible Why should feare make impossibles seeme easie Solym. Monsters yet be and being are beleeued Cam. Monsters not seene are monstrously beleeued Pardon me Sir if duty doe seeme angry I am your child these common blots of children Doe reach indeed I do not know how neere me Solym. Neere thee indeed for you had both one Father Cam. My gracious Lord if you were not my Father Nature would much repine at such a staine But Sir by that you owe me as a father Thinke well of them wherein your selfe remaine Borrow not iealousie of Princes state To warrant you that you may children hate Solym. Mustapha is euen he that thus hath stained Nature with bloud and loue with bloody malice He thought it long that I thus long haue raigned He that at once deuis'd that all at once should die Rosten and Rossa Zanger thou and I Cam. Far be it off that this should be found true Can hope of all the world be thus deceiued Sweet Mustapha doth Nature lie in you Sir these be Greatnes mists be not deceiued For Kings hate in their fearefull
waining state And easily doubt and what they doubt they hate Then Parasites that haunt their Princes Grace Know deprauation hath a pleasing face Soly. Camena thy soft youth that knowes not ill Whose A thoughts yeeldes showres of sweet good will Cannot beleeue the Elder when they say That good beliefe is greatest States decay Wisedome was neuer borne before her time Mans wit and nature youths Horizon are Perchance experience vnto more may clime Let it suffice that I and Rossa too Are priuy what your brother meanes to doe Cam. O pardon me dread Sir and as a Father What I shall say speaking it of a mother Know I do say it but to right a brother The euill Angel of good will is feare Whose many eyes whilst but itselfe they see Each one to other formes of ruine bee Out of this feare she Mustapha accused Vnto this feare perchance she ioynes the loue Which doth in mothers for their children moue Perhaps when feare hath showne how yours must fall In loue she sees how hers must rise withall Sir feare and frailty haue and may haue grace And our care of your good may not be blamed Care of our owne in Nature hath a place Passions haue oft mistaken and misnamed Yet God forbid that either feare or care Should ruine those that true and faithfull are Soly. Is it no fault or fault I may forgiue For sonne to seeke the father should not liue Cam. Is it a fault or fault for you to know My mother doubts a thing that is not so O strange vnhappines of highest roome Which thinking opposition derogates From Maiesty they ioy to ouercome The truth with selfe-loue teaching flattery How to impostume power with proud accesse But pardon me my Lord admit it so That Mustapha in wanton youthes conceit Had wandred from the course he ought to goe Yet thinke what frailty is and what the baite For priuate men which here below obey Beholding outward pompe of Maiesty And vnacquainted with Kings inward care Like Satyres thinke the fire as sweet as faire And burne with grasping their beloued aire But Sir the Gods whome Kings should imitate Haue plac'd you high to rule not ouerthrow For as not for your selues is your estate Mercy must hand in hand with power goe Your sword should not strike with the arme of feare Which fadoms all mens imbecilitie And mischiefe doth least it should mischiefe beare As reason deales within with frailty Which kils not passions that rebellious are But addes substracts keepe downe ambitious spirits With hard examples no with truth and care So must power warne and threaten ere it light A point there is whereat each heart must stay All men may couet all few all can doe The worst and best are both like heard and care For flesh and bloud the meanes twixt heauen and hell To thse extreames extreamely packed are Martyrs few men can be euen for the good As few can seale their mischiefe with their bloud The Princes wisedome and his office this To see from whence how farre each one can moue To What what each mans God and Deuill is Iudging and handling frailty with loue For ignorance begetteth cruelty Misthinking each man euery thing can be The best may fall the worst that is may mend You hedge in time and doe prescribe to God Where safety nor amendment you intend The last of all corrections is the rodde And Kings that circle in themselues with death Poyson the aire wherein they take their breath Pardon my Lord pitty becomes my sexe And if I speake this from the common sense Ti 's natures truth it pleades her owne defence Solym. If what were best for them that doe offend Lawes did enquire the answere must be grace If mercy be so large wher 's Iustice place Cam. Where loue dispaires where Gods power hath end For mercy is the highest reach of wit A safety vnto them that saue with it Borne out of God and vnto humaine eyes Like God not seene till fleshly passion dies Solym. God may forgiue whose being and whose harmes Are farre remou'd from reach of fleshly armes But if God equals or successors had Euen God of safe reuenges would be glad Cam. Who knowes if made a Lambe what he would be Much lesse his flesh of heauenly councels free While he is yet aliue he may be slaine But from the dead no flesh comes backe againe Solym. While he remaines aliue I liue in feare Cam. Though he were dead that doubt still liuing were Solym. None hath the power to end what he begunne Cam. The same occasion followes euery Sonne Solym. Their greatnesse or their worth is not so much Cam. And shall the best be slaine for being such Solym. Thy mother and thy brother be amisse I am betrayed and one of them it is Cam. My Mother if shee err's err's vertuously And let her erre e're Mustapha should die Kings for their safetie must not blame mistrust Nor for surmise must Kings destroy the iust Solym. Well deare Camena keepe this secretly I will be well aduis'd before he die ACTVS II. SCENA III Rossa Rosten Rossa O werisome obedience I despise thee Must I in vaine be Mustaphas accuser Sands shal be numbred first Time shal be constant The Sea shall yeeld his channell to the fire The Earth shall beare the Heauen within his Center Eternitie shall die Nature be Idle E're my delights or will shall stand in awe Of God or Nature common peoples lawe Roste. Rossa what meaneth this vnquiet motion Gouerne your thonghts what want you to content you That haue the King of Kings at your deuotion Rossa Content poore wit and poore promotion The helme of princes greatnesse is their will Say you that I haue all at my deuotion That for my feare of Prince and Princes ill Am brought in question both of state and fame Must loose my will and cannot loose my shame What night what cloudes what shades of soules condemned What darknes in the gulph of darkenes So darke are fathers thoughts with kindnes blinded What lightnings flash from cloudes with child with fire As thoughts possest alike with feare and kindnes Mustapha long since condemn'd to die Now lines againe To boast of mariage what true ground haue I The streames are choakt of Solymans affection Where Fortune did of old make her election Rosten Thinke not too much for thoughts that be offended Are seldome with their present counsailes mended Rossa From Heauen to earth I will leaue nothing Vnthought vnsought for or not vndertaken Vertue nor vice shall in themselues haue nothing Auernus bottoms shall not be forsaken Rather then my Lords loue shall growe to nothing Vertue is cold not fit to be beloued That with the losse of Fortune is not moued Rosten Vertue leades not herselfe for hope or feare Vnquiet rage doth misaduenture fashion Nothing at all it weakenesse is to beare Passion shall multiply more cause of passion Rossa take heed Honour is very brittle And broken once
though he meane his ouerthrow Least men should thinke their fauour but a net VVhere easie in but hardly out they get Rossa Rosten let Mustapha be thy example That Tragedies are Gods and Princes plaies Kings know new hopes blot out the shame of bookes Desires eye on hope onely lookes While childrens blood the fathers forehead staine What priuiledge for Councellors remaine He that hath intent to ruine houses Plucks not the timber all at once away Least ruines ruine on himselfe he lay Fury will haue a time to breathe from killing Fury is a wheele with ease kept going Where it with many hands at first was moued Feares shield of proofe is trampt in others blood Good fortune seldome comes by doing good Rost. Fortune is often by presumption tempted To turne the backe Rossa Nay fortune harlot-sicke Who thinkes good maner to be want of spirit Is dearest vnto those that vse her rudely Onely with humble bashfulnesse is tempted Rost. What argument against him Rossa Vse of killing Suspition the fauourite of Princes Delight of change fauours past and feare of greatnesse Sharpned by Acmats harsh and open dealing With noble Princes libertie would draw Into the narrow scope of common awe Power of mischance yeelds honour to aduenture Mustapha is dead Rost. Not dead while Acmat liueth Small sparkes from fire quencht to danger growes From him that feares to strike feare neuer parteth Let Acmat die and danger is departed For Zanger I his brothers charge haue gotten Yet least his death not lookt for might amase him For youth and kindnesse oft doe thinke it glory At things done for their profit to repine I will make haste and giue him from his father Mustaphaes estate his fortune and succession When reason failes one passion rules another Hope and good fortune doe forget a brother Rossa Come Rosten let vs doe and then consider CHORVS VVHen will this life this sparke put in our spright To giue light to this lumpe of flesh and blood Leaue to denie strong destinie her right VVhich it feeles daily cannot be withstood Man looke not downe looke vp into the skie There liue thou must and mai'st be glad to die ACTVS V. SCENA I. Achmatt alone In what Dilemma of mischance stand I Vs'd by the subtile Art of wicked gouernement To serue a tyrants turne with faith and honestie Plac'd ouer men whome vniust rage doth iustly moue I am either in heate of heady mutinie To die or scaping by respect that saftie may Suspition to my selfe and honour lay Destinie hath shot the shaft and it must light To stirre or paine against the streame of fate Which mooues from ill deserts it is too late Innocence and faith from safe estates ouerthrow For floods of error from authoritie The multitude hath easily ouerthrowen For when Kings states must and must fall Iustice diuides not there but ruines all But looke where Rossa comes like Aprill waters Both gusts and cleaues in stormie forhead carrying Like power that with itselfe doth feare miscarying ACTVS V. SCENA II. Rossa Chorus Acmat Acm. Who euer thinkes by vertue to aspire And goodnesse deemes to be good fortunes starre Or who by mischiefe will seeke his desire And thinkes no Conscience wayes to honour are Mustapha here seeing thee and me Sees no man good or ill rules destinie And would exchange the course of fates by wit Which Gods doe make to bring their workes to end And with it selfe euen oft doth ruine it A Tyrant fate to them that doe amisse For nothing left me but my error is Chor. VVhat glory is this that with it selfe is sad Good lucke makes all men but the guiltie glad Ross. Zanger for whome Mustapha was slaine Zanger for whome Camanaes blood was shed Zanger for whome all the world on me complain'd Hath done that which no truth or law could doe Remorce and feares in my distresse hath bred Murthered himselfe and ouerthrowne me too In euery creatures heart there liues desire VVhich men doe follow as appearing good And Greatnes men doe thinke it to aspire Although it weaknes be well vnderstood This vnbound raging infinite thoughts fire I tooke nay it tooke me and plac'd my heart On hopes to alter Empires and Successions And as the sea when his ambitious power Hath ouer-run his neighbour element His pride his rage his glorie to deuoure Nor can with any greatnes be content Till all the Countrie that lay still before Rise vp and force him back vnto the shore So when as I had wonne the marriage bed And Soliman with himselfe ouercome To breake and lay a sleepe his Prophets law By being only of desire in awe Error of selfe harme euer brought a bed Made me this wheele of misfortune drawe Daunger was sport mischiefe desires art Nothing seemd hard but to leaue this impression I Mustapha his fall did vndertake And like the stormes that doe blow VVhen all things but themselues they ouerthrow Hatefull I did him to his father make But as desires on diuers things are plac'd So diuers works For foules like senses haue a diuers taste There be birds of the day and of the night No laws can make one will to be embrac't The daughters heart will make the mother spight Camenas thoughts were soft her good was forth She but with others loue though nothing worth To Mustapha she opens mine intent For she had tried but could not turne my heart Yet she no hurt to me in telling ment Yet hurt she did me to disclose my art I sought reuenge reuenge it could not be For I confesse she neuer wronged me But as the Christian when she sees her child Puld by the great-Lords-men from mothers breast Though she do know it will him honor yeeld Yet for her fathers sake her soule cannot rest So though I know Camenas heart was good Yet I did earne to haue my will withstood Remorce which hath affection in each heart Since whose reason is but what they see Womanish loue and shame with feare tooke part They all conspir'd to haue commanded me Humble patience voide of feare and art Camenas onely strength and weapons be I kild her yet confesse I did her loue Furies of choice what arguments can moue I kild her for a thought her death would proue That truth not hate made Mustapha suspected The more it seem'd against a mothers loue The more it shewd I Solyman affected Thus vnderneath seuere and vpright dealing A mischieuous step-mothers malice stealing It tooke effect for few meane ill in vaine He died infamous though he guilties were High power hath truth tied vnder lawes of feare I liue selfe-guilty and who durst complaine So little care the Gods for me below So little men feare God they do not know This Mustapha whose death I made my glory Hath spoiled all my power but power to be sorry For Zanger when he saw his brother dead Confusedly with diuers shapes distract He silent stood horrors darke cloudes possest him Madnes was mixt with woe kindnes with Racke reuerence reuenge both representing shame Stood equally against and with a mothers name But as these shadowes from his heart withdrew That light became restored to his mind The globes of his enraged cares he threw On me like nature iustly made vnkind Vertue bare secret witnes he was true Remorce did then make me my error find Finde Lo. this hatefull loue did make From pittie woe he spake Mother is this heart Is there nor Law your desire Can neither power nor goodnesse scape your art Be these the Counsels by which you aspire Doth mischiefe onely feare no ouerthwart Is there no Hell nor doe the Deuils loue fire If neither God Heauen Hell nor Deuill bee 'T is plague enough that I am borne of thee Mother O monstrous name shall it be said That thou hast done this fact for Zangers sake Honour and life shall they to me vpbraid That from thy mischiefe they their glory take O wretched men that vnder shame are laid For sinnes that we and sinnes our parents make Yet Rossa to be thine in this I glorie That being thine giues power to make thee sorie He wounds his heart and downe with death he fals On Mustapha who there for his sake died Fame with his breath he wils on him to call Forgetfulnesse he would should me betide For the dead and mercie for vs all And with these words for mercie died Thy goodnesse I mis-vnderstood Shunning ill did worse to shed my blood He dies VVoe is me when in my looke Horror I see all their lost but My loue I ioy become booke Eternitie of shame is printed there Thinke of God Alas that so I might Madnesse onely natures peace VVith thy selfe though all else thou displease Made to giue light spirits ease VVhat shall I doe Desuntpauca FINIS
neuer to be repaired And honour lost mankind hath lost his fashion Honour and shame are slaues to them that prosper Ross. One signe that humaine worth with power is raised Is that Kings do to make their doings praised Rosten Who forceth man is fear'd but not beloued Praises of feare are tyranous dispraises Rossa Praises for feare do shew that we are great Who seeke for loue and may commaund a feare Are sitter to clime vp then tarry there I whome most men haue thought haue ruled all And with my Lord his ruine vndertaken Now liue in this life to behold my fall Our credit with our Soueraigne is our honor And ere thou suffer that to haue despight Thinke Innocencie harme vertue dishonour Wound truth and ouerthrow the state of right Sexes haue vertues apart States haue there fashions The vertues of authority are passions But stay looke where our messenger returneth ACT. II. SCENA IIII Rossa Rosten Belyarby Nuntius Beliar. Rossa and Rosten while you stand debating The ioyes are fortunes of your priuate fortune Rossa Rosten make haste goe hence and carrie with thee My life my fame desire and my fortune You vgly Angels of infernall Kingdome You spirits resolute to dwell in darknesse You who haue vertuously maintain'd your being In equall power like riualls to the heauens If as they say who say it for reproch You are at hand to those that on you call Refusing none but such as doe refuse you Reuenge your selues of this false title vertue This vertue which hath sildome beene assailed By you but she hath still her seruants failed My shame my feare my loue I offer to you Let me raigne while I liue in my desires Or dead liue with you in eternall fires Rossa doing not praying merits heauen or hell Mischiefes doe rise and set themselues against thee Misfortune hath euen now conspired thy ruine Intreat no enemies for they forgiue not But humble thou thy selfe vnto the heauens I feare to tell I tremble to conceale it Thy blood euen with thy destiny is infected I would yet would I not I durst reueale it Fortune vnto the death is then displeased When remedies doe ruine her diseased Rost. Vse not these parables of coward feare Feare hurts lesse when it strikes then when it threatens If Mustapha shall liue all feare is fallen Danger lighted desire lost hope banisht If Mustapha shall die then feare from hope Losse from desire danger and paine are vanisht Bel. If Mustapha shall die his death miscarries Part of thy End thy Fame thy Friends thy Ioyes No man to hurt his foes his friends destroyes Ross. Friends who are they but those that serue desire My Gods my Friends my Father and my Mother Are but those steps that helpe me to aspire Duty and loue tooke knowledge of no other Let me and all the world with him be staine I will not wish to be aliue againe But tell what is the worst Bel Aske not in rage rage brings it selfe to woe Vnlesse the wings whereon it flies be slow Ross. I charge you tell me how I am fortune-bound That if I harme him I my selfe confound Bel. Camana must with him a traytor be Or Mustapha for her sake must be free Ross. O cruell Fates that doe in loue plant woe And in delight make our despaires to grow But speake what hath she done Bel. Vndone thy doing Discouered vnto Mustapha his danger Vertues sweete fame with loue of mercy wooing And great suspitions from these relicks grow That what she knowes both Sonne and Father know I that am yours durst not make you a stranger And yet was loth with duty to offend In childrens faults a mothers wisdome showes Loues perfect try all is in flame of anger Malice to Mustapha must be forgot That your belou'd Camena perish not Rossa Nay pale Auernus I doe so adore thee As I lament my wombe hath bin so barren To yeeld but one to offer vp before thee Who thinkes the daughter harme can mother stay From end whereon a mothers heart is set Knowes not wisedome wickednesse beget Boldnesse in malice dazels humane reason Camaena thy false blood shall doe me right Bel. Rossa is rage so mad as to imagine It masters heauen Ross. Is rage so mad As it will stay reuenge to hope for heauen Where ages are but houres Bel. Is wrath so cruell Are lawes of loue so soone forgotten Is mercy dead Ross. Would you haue wrath so foolish As it should stay vntill it be abused Is Nature vnder such fond lawes be gotten As Loue must giue it selfe to be abused Bel. Yet by the Loue of mothers to their children By all the paines of trauell with your children Punish but spare the life of faulty children Life may amend and well deceiue an other Death doth but cut off one to warne an other Ross. I doe protest before you spirits infernall That gouerne in your darknes vniform'd By all your plagues and miseries eternall By all your vgly shapes and soules transform'd Neither to haue bin made a heauenly Angell Honour'd aliue and after this life famous Would I loue of my children haue disclaymed But since by her my life is brought in question Since she is out of daughters duty gotten My mothers tender care shall be forgotten They still that haue good will to kill or perish And they do erre that others erruor cherish Camena then since thy desires would make Thy mothers harme examples of thy glory Since thou do'st leaue me for a brothers sake Since thy heart feeles not what makes others sorry Thy triumphe shall bee death thy glory shame For so die they that wrong a mothers name Thy treasures with thine owne arts are discarded I will do something not to be forgotten The giuers of examples are regarded CHORVS ACT. III. SCENA I. Achmatt alone Achmat. Who standing in the shade of humble valley Lookes vp and wondèrs at the height of hils When he with toyle of weary lims ascends And feeles his spirits melt with Phaebus glaies Or sinewes starke with AEolus bitter breathing Or thunder blasts which comming from the skie Do fall most heauy on the places high Then knowes though further seene and further seeing They multiply in woes that adde in glories Who weary is of natures quiet vallyes A meane estate with chast and poore desires Whose vertue longs for knees blisse for opinion Who iudgeth pleasure paradise in purple Let him seeme no gouernor of Castle No pitty princes choise whose weake dominions Make weake vnnoble councels to be currant But Basha vnto Solyman whose scepter Nay seruants haue dominion ouer Princes Vnder whose feet the foure forgotten Monarches The foote-stooles lie of his eternall glory Euen I thus raised this Solymans beloued Thus caried vp by fortune to be tempted Must for my Princes sake destroy succession Or suffer ruine to preserue succession O wretched state of ours wherein we liue Where doubt giues loues which nature can forgiue Where rage of Kings not onely ruine be But where
good shewes lesse ills greater then they bee There Saturne feeds on children that be his A fatall winding sheete succession is This pleasing horrour of our turnd delight Doth figure forth the Tyrannie of feare Where truth lies bound and nature looseth right Poore innocencie vainely spending breath To plead where nothing is of trust but death Malice heere aged lies in doublenesse Blowing out rumour from her narrow breast To spread abroad with infinite successe The visions and opinions of vnrest Eating the hearts wherein they harboured bee Like wormes in wood whose holes men onely see These precious hills where daintinesse seemes wast By natures art that all art will exceede In carelesse finenesse shews the sweet estate Of strength and prudence both togither plac't Two intercessors reconciling hate And giuing feare euer of itselfe a taste These waues that beat vpon the cliftes doe shew The cruell stormes which Enuie hath below This border round about in Charact hath The minde of all which in effect is this T is hard to know but hard and harder too VVhen men doe know to bring their hearts to doe Soly. VVhat said she when you shewed her this worke Ro. Like them which are descryed faine would lurke So while she would haue made her selfe seeme cleere She made her faults still more and more appeere Soly. How brookt she that the wicked onely feare Her death I meane with what heart did she beare The wicked hearts are plac't farre from their voice Ro. As whē they mourne you would think they reioice She neuer mourn'd nor sigh'd nor was afraid But this vnto me ere she died she said Mother I am your owne by mothers right You may cut of my life which you did giue Might and a mothers name will you acquite If in your owne selfe you your selfe forgiue But Mustapha his death will be his shame To father mother and the Turkish race For reuerence vnto a fathers name Hath brought him guiltlesse to this guiltie case He neuer sought nor wisht his fathers death And in that minde I liu'd and leaue my breath She neither stubborne was nor yet deprest She but for his life neuer made request As though his wounds had onely beene her owne Such Lordship had false glorie in her breast As she tooke ioy to haue her mischiese knowne Yet had she this against myne owne selfe done My selfe against my selfe she should haue wonne Solyman take heede dispaire hath bloody heeles Malice wound vp like clocks to watch the Sunne Hasting a headlong course with many wheeles Hath neuer done vntill it hath vndone I slew my child my child would haue slaine thee All bloody faults in my blood written bee Sol. What hills hath nature rais'd aboue the fier What state beyond them is that will conspire I sweare by all the Saints my sonne shall die Reuenge is iustice and no crueltie Actus tertius Scena quinta Enter Priest Mustapha Pr. False Mahomet thy lawes Monarchall are Vniust ambitious full of spoile and blood Hauing not of the best but greatest care To whome still thou dost sacrifice thy good Must life yeeld vp it selfe to be put out Before this frame of nature be denied Must blood the tribute be of princes doubt O wretched flesh in which must be obaid Gods lawes that wills impossibilities And princes willes which worke in crueltie With faith an art borne of false Prophets word Wee blind our selues and with our selues the rest To humblenesse the sheath of tyrants sword Each worst vnto himselfe approuing best People beleeue in God wee are vntrue Spirituall forges vnto princes might God doth require what 's onely best for you But we doe preach your bodies to the warre Your goods to spoile your freedome into bands duties by which you aw'de of others are And feare which to your harmes doth lead your hands Who preach that God who made all flesh alike Bids you lay downe your necks for kings to strike I am the diuels friend Hells Mediatour Truths spight ruines hand and sinnes occasion A furie vnto man a man to furies Oh vertue if thou any where haue essence But in sweet Mustapha whome I haue ruind And you faire-orderly-confused Planets If you be more then ornaments in heauen And that you worke in destinies of the mortall Shew vs that destinies be not confus'd Not euill to the good good to the euill Confusion is the iustice of the diuell Saue Mustapha fates course well changed is Where constancie leades her to doe amisse Change or turne backe your course let Asia know That earth doth hatch her owne ill destinie Which in aspects the starres but onely shew Lay forth the hatefull vilde conspiracie Wherein this tyrant meanes to ouerthrow His sonne the hope of all humanitie In Mustapha with influence worke so As he is full and strength at once may see Whom monster I haue hither made to come Guiltlesse through guiltie feare to take his doome Now hell and paine if you else where be seated Then absence and my presence Call me againe in hast to come vnto you If worse I be not with my selfe then with you Must. Whēce grows this sudaine rage thy gesture vtters These agonies and furious blasphemies Is rage become the Lord of humane reason For rage doth shew that reason is defaced When rage thus shews it selfe with reason graced Priest If thou hast felt thy selfe accusing warre Where knowledge is the endlesse hell of thought Where hope and feare in equall ballance are My state of minde is by the feeling taught For what dispaire the conscience doth feare My wounds bleed euer for remorse they beare Must. Remorse and pride in nature opposite The one makes errour great the other small But rooted ill brings no remorse with it Iudge not thy selfe with troubled will at all But shew thy harts when passions streames breake forth Euen woes we wondred at proue nothing worth Preist I haue offended nature God and thee My hart and soule the seates of mischiefe bee Musta. Of God his mercy is the greatest power Nature is sweet her wounds heale vp againe For me tell how and teach me to forgiue Which he that cannot doe knows not to liue Pr. Forgiuenes is to take away the cause It forceth God to plague or breake his lawes Musta. Forgiuenes is to put away the wrongs At least so much as to my selfe belongs Pr. It is a praise to pardon it is true But keepe me rather from vndoing you Musta. What should I doe tell me I doe not feare Pr. Preserue thy father with thy selfe and mee Else guiltie of each others death we be Musta. Tell how Pr. Thy father purposeth thy death I did aduise thou offredst vp thy breath Musta. What haue I to my father done amisse Pr. That wicked Rossae thy stepmother is Musta. Wherein of Rossae haue I ill deserued Pr. In that the Empire is for thee preserued Musta. I cannot choose but be my fathers sonne As bold ambition which like water-flouds Not channell-bound doth neighbours