THE INJUR'D LOVERS OR THE Ambitious Father A TRAGEDY Acted by Their Majesty's Servants AT THE THEATRE ROYAL By W. MOVNT FORT Com. Licensed March 8. 1687 8. Ro. L'Estrange LONDON Printed for Sam. Manship at the Black Bull in Cornhill MDCLXXXVIII TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JAMES EARL of ARRAN Son to his Grace the Duke of Hamilton One of the Lords of his Majesty's Bed-chamber and Knight of the Honourable and Ancient Order of the Thistle My LORD THE abundance of indulgent Favours I have received from your Lordship and the Noble Family to which you are now ally'd made me presume humbly to crave your kind Acceptance of this First Fruits of a Young Muse And tho I cannot assure my self of deserving so great an Encouragement as your Lordship's Espousal of this Trifle yet I will to my utmost Endeavours satisfy the World how much a generous Patronage may encrease a natural Genius and that an indifferent Beginning may by the Assistance of so great a Person extreamly improve it self For what bold Censurer tho never so Malitious dares question what your Lordship takes into your Protection Safe I 'm sure it will remain as plac'd upon an Altar And indeed when I call to mind how many less deserving than your Lordship have been stiled Hero's and Demi-Gods it makes me accuse the Ingratitude of our Age and call much in Question its Judgment Give me leave my Lord but to call to mind tho far too worthy for my Pen the famous and never to be enough praised Actions of your Ancestors the Douglasses whose personal Valours have always been so great that they seem'd the Souls of Armies as having Life only where they charged And whatsoever Quarrel they espous'd Victory always dwelt there Their Courages were such that what is in ancient Legends of others Romantick was really justly true of them And since they are gone to encrease the Number of the Hero 's above who does not see the true Image of their Souls in your Lordships Every thing you undertake must have Success for what you do is with such a noble Assurance that Fortune seems afraid to contradict it and you carry her with you always bound and in Subjection to your Pleasure Indeed every thing in you is Extraordinary To witness only your first early Valour with a Person of Honour which shew'd an Example of your exact Niceness in Gallantry and was the true Test of Courage Give me leave to add to the rest of the Virtues the Loyalty of your self and Family the never to be forgotten Transactions now fresh in Memory of your Two illustrious Relations the Dukes of Hamilton One sacrificed for his Prince by the barbarous and detestable Rebels and the other regardless of his Life in so meritorious a Cause dying in endeavouring the late King's Restauration And tho their Sufferings are as well set forth as an original Collection and an ingenious Historiographer could well model Yet the secret Virtues of that inestimable Pair which but themselves and the glorious Martyr they liv'd and dy'd for knew Imagination cannot reach of if known 't would tire Fame to sound ' em And still to add to your Never-dying Name This last happy Union with a Family of such Worth that Fortune seem'd proud of the Match and contrived it as an Honour to both Parties What a vast Happiness do I enjoy that have a Person of so unparallell'd a Family as your Lordship to countenance my feeble Endeavours and tho the Worthies of the World might justly claim the Honour I sue for yet as the Widdow's Mite was acceptable so may this poor Performance be to your Lordship's unbounded Goodness Perhaps some Momuses of this Time may immediately without farther Thought decry this Paper and call it Flattery but those that will impartially judge must own that Flattery and Truth were never ally'd and I have said nothing here but what the well-known Merits of the Persons will justify May the noble Partner of your Heart live like her Virtues which were a sufficient Security if Heaven would suffer her Absence for an Immortality on Earth May the Excellencies o◠both Generations wait on you two may Goodness Honour and Loyalty never depart from whence they have seem'd to take their Dwelling but with tha◠untir'd Sincerity which your Predecessors have still perform'd to their Soveraign attend you whilst I at a Distance shall rejoice and with all Humility crave the Title of Your Lordships most Obedient and Dutiful Servant Will. Mountfort PROLOGUE To the Injur'd Lovers spoken by Mr. Mountfort JO Haynes's Fate is now become my Share For I 'm a Poet Married and a Player The greatest of these Curses is the First As for the latter Two I know the worst But how you mean to deal with me to Day Or how you 'l Massacre my harmless Play I must confess distracts me every Way For I 've not only Criticks in the Pit. But even in the upper Gallery they sit Knaves that will run down Mr. Mountforts's Wit Pm the unlucky'st Dogg that ever Writ Some Care then must be taken that may save This Dear my First Begotten from the Grave Some Friends Advise like Brother Ben declare By God 't is Good deny 't the Slave that dare Were I but sure 't would Take I 'd do my best But to be kick'd you know would spoil the Jest However I must still my Play maintain Damn it who will Damn me I 'll write again Clap down each Thought nay more than I can think Ruin my Family in Pen and Ink. And tho' my Heart should burst to see your Spite True Talboy to the last I 'll Cry and Write That 's Certain Or since I am beset so by my Foes I beg your Favours Friends Brother Beaux Join with the Ladies to whose Power I bow Where I see Gentleness on every Brow To whose acuter Judgments I submit O! Save me from the Surlies of the Pit Those Nauseous Wretches which have not the tast Of Wit or Gallantry if nicely drest I never writ till Love first touch'd my Brain And surely Love will now Loves Cause Maintain Besides my Natural Love to write again Yet as you Please Ruin or Pity bear Sir Courtly fears no Enemy so Fair Execute as you please your Tyrant-Will His Character 's Your humble Servant still Dramatis Personae King of Sicily Mr. Williams Rheusanes his General and betroth'd to Antelina Mr. Betterton Ghinotto the Ambitious Father Mr. Griffiin Dorenalus his Son Friend to the General and in Love with the Princess Mr. Mountfort An old Collonel belonging to the Army Mr. Sanford Several Souldiers Mr. Lee. Mr. Jevon Mr. Underhill c. The Princess Oryala in Love with Rheusanes Mrs. Barry Antelina Daughter of Ghinotto Mrs. Bracegirdle  Pages and Attendants Scene SICILY THE Injur'd Lovers ACT I. SCENE I. Discovers the King lying on a Couch After a Song he Rises I. LUcinda Close or Veil your Eye Where thousand Loves in Ambush lye Where Darts are Pointed
with such Skill They 're sure to Hurt if not to Kill Let Pity move thee to seem Blind Lest Seeing thou destroy Mankind II. Lucinda hide that swelling Breast The Phoenix else will change her Nest Yet do not for when She Expires Her heat may light in the soft Fires Of Love and Pity so that I By this one Way may thee Enjoy King OH Love like Death no Difference thou know'st The Heart thou strik'st must to thy Power submit Tho satisfyed the Yielding Ruins it Not Alexander could withstand thy Dart Yet he had baffled Millions with his Shield The God of War thy Arrows did Disgrace Making him languish at thy Mothers feet No wonder if our Heroes were thy Slaves When you subdued the Deity they serv'd Enter a Gentleman Gent. Ghinotto waits your Majesties Commands King Bid him Enter Enter Ghinotto Oh my Ghinotto dost thou bring me Comfort Or must Despair consume thy Master speak Ghi What might be urg'd to serve your Majesty This Brain has studied and this Tongue perswaded But still the Coyness of a slighted Maid Seduc'd by the false Vows of her first Lover To all besides she bears Nor Power nor Pomp can bring her to my Will. King Thou dost not sure the Art of Courtship know That canst not with Preferment win a Woman Ghi Perhaps Proposals from your Majesty might tempt her But from me tho Duty should instruct her to obey Yet she despises the utmost hopes My Cunning can invent King I 'le see her then my self They say there is a Power in Majesty Which Woman can't withstand And if a Crown can win her Aside I will exchange it for the moments Bliss And be content to serve my after Daies How does she bear the Marriage of Rheusanes Ghi As gaping Courtiers do the Rise of those Who take it o're their Heads she sighs And coldly saies She 's glad Rheusanes Fortune Has provided a beauty in all Points So much above her to share his Heart So much more worthy in his Masters eye so King What now Shout Ghi 'T is for Rheusanes Sir. The Crouded streets smoak with his Aclamations And He their Sun sucks up the ambitious Fogg King Ghinotto he must be Clouded set in a Winters Sky Where sometimes he may shine but weakly warm Ghi Success in Souldiers makes 'em Popular Nay oft disturbs the State which once they serv'd So 't is a Prince's safety to remove 'em Still as they grow familiar with their Country Into a private Life Which to the full shall recompence the Publique And keep 'em with just duty to their Prince King 'T is well advis'd You once were great i' th' Military Cause Deserv'd and did receive Applauses too Thy Son being grown fit for the honour'd Field I took thee to my self my bosom Friend Ghi So warm a Climate vertue does encrease My care have ever been to serve my Masters King Thou art a worthy States-man Rheusanes on his Marriage shall resign his Staff Which to thy Son descends Let him Example From his Father take and well I shall be Guarded This Night I 'l see thy Daughter If thou canst bring her to accept my offers I 'le make thee Father of thy Prince Ghinotto Enter Gentleman Gent. The General waits for admittance Sir. King Conduct him in Ghinotto Exit Ghi and Gent. I must Enjoy her Great is the interest of this General As great I know the Love is he bears her My Sister first presented him to me And now expects to reap what she has sown Tho Kings would Glory in so rich a Bride Yet for my own content she Marries him I have no hopes to compass Antelina But by this snare For when Love once for Greatness is Despis'd Still the neglected by that scorn 's advis'd And when Rheusanes falshood she has known How will she catch the offer of a Crown Enter Ghinotto Rheusanes Dorenalus Attendants Rheusanes Kneels Rhe. Success and Plenty wait upon my Prince And still when e're his Country wants relief May Fortune prove as favourable as now King Welcom most fortunate most wish'd for man Thy Prince's Guardian and thy Countrys Prop Rise and look like the conqueror thou art Rhe. You pay my duty much above its merit Nor could my Life tho lost in your defence Be worthy of such Title or such Praise I 've serv'd my Prince but as a subject ought When he commands his serviee King Dorenalus thou' rt welcom Dor Kneels May still good fortune wait upon thy Youth Encouraging thy Endeavours with success Dor. Long as the favour of my Prince waits on me I need not fear the want of Heav'ns assistance King Rheusanes since Heav'n has blest us With Victory and thy safety I think it were presumption more to tempt it Thou hast discharg'd thy Office well and Nobly And how to recompence thy Merit we have studied But if thy fancy would reward thy service With a particular choice it most delights in Proclaim thy wishes to our grateful ear With a most worthy and just assurance Rhe. So well I know the goodness of my Master That on his choice I wholly will depend For fear my wishes meet with his intentions Which rudely might interptet that I knew My own deserts as well as does my Prince King My wishes hope to agree with thy desires Goes to the door and brings in Oryala Can this reward thee Dor. Ha! Aside King Why so surpriz'd Rheusanes 't is real and thy Merit Here take her and the next sun shall see you Joyn'd much faster still senseless Rhe. Such blessings Sir must be receiv'd With all humility and admiration King Courtship I know is troublesom in Publique We 'l leave you to the Eyes and Ears Only of each other Ex. King Dor. Ghin. Manent Ory and Rhe. Dor. The use of mine forsake me At this Moment Rhe. What shall I do or how shall I approach her Most gracious Princess Ory Most worthy Lord. Rhe. By Heav'ns she spoke as if she lik'd my answer And prompts me to go on Aside Ory Some pitying God now stand a Virgins Friend Inspire him with affection towards my Love That neither my desires may be refus'd Aside Nor Greatness slighted Rhe. Since Madam by the King I here am left To win your favour or receive your scorn I would entreat e're I presume to talk Of that nice subject we must enter on You would resolve me one material Point Kneels Which my fears urge me thus to beg of you Ory Rise My Lord so well I know the goodness of your soul That whatsoever it dare ask I need not blush to grant I guess his Measures and am prepar'd to meet ' em Aside Rhe. Oh Antelina Aside 'T is Madam whether by inclination or command You do permit this single Conference Ory My Lord Rhe. Pardon me Princess if I err impute it to respect And much of Honour 'T is probable your Choice is made already If so what happiness can I expect From an intangled Love or forc'd
good Humour Coll. What wishing for the Wars You hate to be idle When a brave Action calls 1st Sould. And under your Honours Command Coll. My Command Under the Generals my Fellow Souldiers the brave Rheusanes He that first flesh'd your Swords in Conquest And march'd you o'er the Ruins of your Foes Rheusanes He that Father to us all Who now by me to crown his last of Deeds Bequeaths the Grecian Generals Pavillion With all that Mass of Riches his by Lot Without one Doyt to any nigh Relation But all to you his stout bred Sons and Heirs All. Humm Coll. Whil'st he tho bold as Justice e'er made Man Injur'd to that prodigious height he is Reflecting on his Duty to his Master Retires to mourn alone at his Disgrace Corp. How Colonel The General disgrac'd that Must not be here 's an Occasion you Doggs Coll. If after all his Service to his Countrey To have a Wife slurr'd on him by his Prince Or see his Mistress ravish'd 'fore his Face Be a Disgrace 't is his 2d Sould. How ravish my General 's Mistress 1st Sould. Who was it Collonel For we 'll make an Eunuch Of him and he shall marry her after 2d Sould. And then we 'll come in for Snacks Corp. We 'll tear him Piece-meal Coll. Away ye giddy-headed Slaves it was the King. 2d Sould. And sure the King may ravish whom he pleases Corp. Hark Rogues a rare Opportunity Did any of you ever see the King 2d Sould. Not I. 1st Sould. Nor I. Corp. Nor you don't know the King if you see him Omn. Not we Corp. Then take my word for 't Rheusanes is your King. Omn. Rheusanes Rheusanes Coll. Forbear ye Rebels or I 'll hang ye all Rheusanes is no Prince he was indeed your General Your much abus'd Commander 1st Sould. I say he 's our King the other Fellow has been Prince so long enough Corp. Ay ay Therefore I say let all who love their Rheusanes or their Corporal draw their Swords Omn. Rheusanes Rheusanes They all draw Enter Ghinotto Coll. They 're finely wrought see here behold the Father Of the unhappy Lady and your General 's Mistress Poor Man he weeps 2d Sould. Truly he has had a very sad time on 't Coll. Do you not know this Face can fifteen Years Such Alteration make Can you forget Your Major General Corp. The Noble Ghinotto Ghin. That wretched thing am I. But why in Arms my old well try'd Acquaintance Coll. Warm'd with my General 's Wrongs and yours O' my Conscience I think we 're grow all Rebels Ghin. Indeed our Wrongs will call for a Revenge And justify it any way but that But sure the King commands in what he pleases Were he my Equal I 'd scorn to shew This base dishonour'd Head Till I had fix'd my Dagger in his Heart Deep as the Wound it gave this wretched Arm Which came too late to save my Daughter's Honour And stop the Hell-bred Fury of his Lust Corp. Look you Fellow Souldiers This Lord has been A brave Fellow has led us out and brought us home With Honour his Son 's the General 's Friend And a kind Officer therefore for all their Sakes I cry Revenge Omn. Revenge Revenge Ghin. My Son alass That precious Comfort of my unhappy Age Whom you are pleas'd to call the General 's Friend The Tyrant has destroy'd 2d Sould. We lose Time Sir. Pulls the Collonel Coll. The General perhaps may be so too His Daughter in his Absence forc'd again And by Degrees we all may feel his Envy Corp. On on Sir. Coll. Nay more 2d Sould. We 'll hear no more Coll. I say the King. 1st Sould. Ounds will you lead Sir. Coll. I will and let us wear our Injuries on our Swords Nor sheath 'em till we wholly are redrest But rather perish in our just Endeavours 1st Sould. Plunder Sir. Coll. Do any thing the City ever were our Enemies Tho we have sav'd their Freedoms and Estates 2d Sould. March then Ghin. Fight as ye all had Daughters to relieve Coll. Or Fight like men condemned for a Reprieve Corp. All Wives by my Consent turn out of Doors 1st Sould. Then I am sure the Cits will have no Whores Exeunt hollowing SCENE II. Enter King and a Gentleman King. DOrenalus kill'd by a Mistake i' th' dark and by Rheusanes Gent. Here in the Gallery Sir. King. Ghinotto sled to th' Army too Gent. Yes Sir. King. Arriv'd there Gent. So writes my Brother Sir he has some small Employment in your Forces and thought it was his Duty to inform your Majesty King. Send to him either to seize or else dispatch the Villain and I 'll preferr him for his Loyalty Gent. I shall Sir. King. Give order too Rheusanes be secur'd Let him not stir beyond the Princes's Lodgings Confine Ghinotto's Daughter too In the Anti-chamber keep her till I come Gent. It shall be done Sir. Exit Gent. King. 'T is good to make 'em sure Or let the worst my Fears can threaten come Let this Ghinotto with the Army march Up to my Palace Gates I easily can quell The Rebel if I accept his Daughter for my Bride But it must come to that e'er I comply or pardon If this man's Brother but dispatches him My Jealousy's releas'd Enter Oryala Oryala in Tears The Cause which draws this Grief Ory The fatal Cause I ever fear'd and told you Rheusanes Scorn King. Still stubborn Ory Not only still but ever will be so Upon the Floor he past this tedious Night Sighing and mourning o'er Dorenalus Whom his mistaking Arm he said destroy'd Muttering Revenge repeating his Deserts And cursing the Ingratitude of 's Prince King. I do begin to apprehend him now And what Dorenalus by chance receiv'd I guess was meant for me His Life is to appease our Laws requir'd Which our Prerogative can spare if courted If not for want of such Humility I 'll leave him to its rigid Persecution I 'll humble his Resentments Ory Oh never never His Woes are swell'd to that prodigious heap No Rage can terrify no Vengeance hurt To die is what he sues for He crav'd ev'n now Some Judgment from the Gods to separate His united Sufferings and finding that they Did not mind him swore they seem'd asham'd And could inflict no more King. Her Sorrows trouble me Aside Ory What Pleasure could you take in such Revenge To ruin those who never did you Wrong King. I cannot help my Purposes miscarriage But they design'd you well Ory Oh vain Excuse you knew he was dispos'd of To Ghinotto's Daughter but loving her your self You put me on him as a Security For your own Lust King. Ha! Ory If your hot Blood provok'd you to that height That a poor Virgin 's Honour must allay't Rheusanes sure sufficient Plague had found In loosing her but likewise to be ti'd To what he loath'd how could he bear that Weight Now I like him wish we had never met And curse the unequal Usage of our Fate King.