Semandra The Charms of his new Queen will vanish Hark The sacred Musick sounds The King and Queen are coming Enter Archilaus Ziphares Semandra See your Brother Semandra and her Father Phar. O my lab'ring Brest how hopes and fears Toss my wrack'd Heart like a poor Bark about But soon the Calm will come or I must perish in the Tempest Exeunt Phar. Pelop. and Andr. Ziph. By Heav'n my Love thou dost distract my Soul There 's not a Tear that falls from those dear Eyes But makes my Heart weep Blood O my Father All is not well I found her in the Morning Not like a Bride with all her Maids about her Half-smiling now half-serious with her thoughts Of what must come nor warm nor bright nor blushing But Oh the Gods I found her on the Floor In all the storm of grief yet beautiful Sighing such breath of sorrow that her Lips Which late appear'd like buds were now o'reblown Pouring forth tears at such a slavish rate That were the World on Fire they might have drown'd The wrath of Heav'n and quench'd the mighty ruine Arch. Nothing my Lord 't is all but Virgin 's fear Marriage to Maids is like a War to Men The Battel causes fear but the sweet hopes Of winning at the last still draws 'em on Sem. Alas my Lord Weeping Ziph. What but alas no more when by the Hand I led her to the Temple thus she sigh'd And hung upon me If thou truly lov'st me If I may credit my Semandra's tears Think 'em not drops of Chance like other Womens The Weather of their Souls The Christal bubbles Which they can make at will Oh satisfie The longings of my braest and tell thy sorrows Sem. That I do love you Oh all you Host of Heav'n Be Witness that you are dear to me Dearer than Day to one whom sight must leave Dearer than Life to one that fears to dye O thou bright Pow'r be Judge whom we adore Be Witness of my Truth be Witness of my Love But yet I fear Ziph. That fear give me that fear Semandra Produce it in the ugliest form it has If ought that is deform'd can come from thee Sem. I shall my Lord since you are pleas'd to hear me Uunfold my doubts the cause of all my Tears First then I must complain of my hard Stars That did not dart kind Lustre on my Birth For tho at present while your young Blood boyls Your Reason cannot get the Rein of Passion Yet it will come when long possession cloyes you Then you will think what Queens you might have had With Kingdoms for their Dower perhaps you may Prove so unkind to tell me of it too Or if you shou'd not yet your Eyes wou'd speak Weeping Enough to break the heart of poor Semandra Ziph. Why dost thou stab me with the tenderness Of thy false fears and melt me into mourning 'T is most unseasonable on our Wedding-day To be seen thus I know thou canst not doubt me No thou most lovely of the fairer kind Think not a Crown can ever change my Virtue Ah who wou'd leave the warmth of this lov'd Bosome For the cold cares which black Ambition brings Sem. Spight of ill-boding Dreams unlucky Omens You must you shall you ought to be believ'd And if I weep again it is for joy That I this Night shall be your happy Bride Ziph. Oh Mithridates mighty as thou art Before whose Throne Princes stand dumb as Death With folded Arms and their Eyes fix'd to Earth Dishonour brand me if I wou'd not chuse A private Life with her whom my Soul loves Rather than live like thee with all thy Titles The King of Kings without her Arch. Pray my Lord Defer till Mid-night these strong Extasies Fate yet may put a bar betwixt our hopes And then the loss wilt be more hardly born The Scene draws discovering the inner part of the Temple Mithridates holding Monima by the Hand his Queens Concubines Sons and Daughters attending Three Roman Captains L. Cassius Q. Oppius and Manius Aquilius bound in Gold Chains with many other Slaves standing at distance Mith. Not yet O Rome great Tyrant of the World Hast thou subdu'd the Asian Emperor In thy despight I hold my glory still Still tread upon the Necks of conquer'd Kings Still make thy Consuls tremble at my Name And in one mightiest Word to sum up all A Word which like a Charm might raise the Ghosts Of Pyrrhus and the experienc'd Hannibal To envy and be dazled at my deeds A Word a Name that comprehends all Honors All Titles Riches Power all Majesty In spight of Rome I 'm Mithridates still Aquil. The Nations must confess that Alexander Cou'd not more dreadful to the East appear Than you ev'n Rome wou'd buy her peace with joy Cou'd you at reasonable rates afford Your Royal Friendship tho by your command Most dreadful to Italian Memory In one dark Day damn'd in the Book of Fate A hundred thousand murder'd Romans fell Mith. Darest thou fomenter of these Wars to talk Thou purple Source of all these bloody streams Which have for more than thirty years o'reflow'd The Asian Banks and dy'd Euphrates red Darest thou Commissioner in chief to put The Earth in Arms and set the World on flame Once think of Peace Now by the Fire-rob'd God Thou shalt have punishment that fits thy Crimes Aquil. The bravest must submit when Fortune frowns Mith. Desire of Wealth the Lust of shining Dirt And Palace Plunder caus'd thee with Arm'd Legions T' invade a King whose Father was Rome's Friend But by the asserted Justice of my Cause The help of Heav'n and of my own Right-hand I conquer'd thee and thou art now my Slave Guards strait convey him to the Market-place Take off his wealthy Chains and melt 'em down Then for a terrible Example to All sordid Wretches Souls made up of Avarice Pour down his Throat the rich dissolved Mass And gorge his Entrails with the burning Gold Mon. Not my dear Lord upon your Nuptial Day Mith. On any Day my Queen to do a Justice Which all the Gods and all good Men must like For Lucius Cassius and for Quintus Oppius A milder Destiny 's in store Away with him And now proceed we to the sacred Rites Aquil. Yet e're you join hear me proud Emperour Hear what the Fates have put into my brest I see my Death by Roman Arms reveng'd And what Lucullus had so well begun Pompey shall end Pompey thy glory's ruine This hour that gives me Death shall be the last Of all thy quiet swift domestick jars Shall overtake thee thou shalt add more blood To that already shed from thy own Bowels And when at last subdu'd in all thy Wars Spoil'd of thy Queens thy Sons and Daughters slain Thou seek'st some corner of thy conquer'd Empire To hide thy abandon'd Head in then the load Of all thy woes shall come one whom thou least Shalt fear long nourish'd in thy impious breast Shall stab thee to the
Nor ev'n in wishes offer at a Joy Shouting within Mith. Hark! with loud Cryes the Souldiers send their joys Go then with the best Blessings I can give thee Conduct my chearful Subjects to the Field Take all the sighing Virgins wishes with thee Subdue the Consul and receive Semandra Ziph. O do not doubt me my most Royal Lord If now I Conquer not thus helpt thus promis'd Thus prais'd incourag'd and thus over-blest I am the Mark for all The Synod of the Gods to shoot their Fires at Mith. Semandra veil your Beauties from my eyes I wou'd not trust their Influence tho I thank The Pow'rs above so strongly Reigns my Virtue I think I might and fear not a relapse In an Apartment proper for your grief You shall be plac'd till yours and my Ziphares Return in Triumph where no eyes shall see Your private walks nor mark your secret sorrow I thus divide you that your meeting may Be yet more grateful Haste my Son to Battel Be short in parting for there is no end Of Lovers Farewels The Powers above preserve you Exit Mith. with Pelop. and Andra. Ziph. Farewel Semandra O if my Father shou'd Fall back from Virtue 't is an impious thought Yet I must ask you cou'd you in my absence Solicited by Power and Charming Empire And threatned too by death forget your Vows Cou'd you I say abandon poor Ziphares Who mid'st of Wounds and Death wou'd think on you And whatsoe're Calamity shou'd come Wou'd keep his love sacred to his Semandra Like Balm to heal the heaviest misfortune Sem. Your cruel question tears my very Soul Ah can you doubt me Prince A Faith like mine The softest Passion that e're Woman wept But as resolv'd as ever man cou'd boast Alas why will you then suspect my Truth Yet since it shows the fearfulness of Love 'T is just I shou'd endeavour to convince you Make bare your Sword my Noble Father draw Arch. What wou'dst thou now Sem. I swear upon it Oh Be witness Heav'n and all avenging Powers Of the true love I give the Prince Ziphares When I in thought forsake my plighted Faith Much less in act for Empire change my love May this keen Sword by my own Fathers hand Be guided to my Heart rip Veins and Arteries And cut my faithless limbs from this hack'd body To feed the ravenous Birds and Beasts of prey Arch. Now by my Sword 't was a good hearty wish And if thou play'st him false this faithful hand As heartily shall make thy wishes good Ziph. O hear mine too If e're I fail in ought That Love requires in strictest nicest kind May I not only be proclaim'd a Coward But be in deed that most detested thing May I in this most glorious War I make Be beaten basely ev'n by Glabrio's Slaves And for a punishment lose both these eyes Yet live and never more behold Semandra Trumpets Arch. Come no more wishing Hark the Trumpets call Sem. Preserve him Gods preserve his Innocence The Noblest Image of your perfect selves Farewel I 'm lost in Tears Where are you Sir Arch. He 's gone Away my Lord you 'l never part Ziph. I go but must turn back for one last look Remember O remember dear Semandra That on thy Virtue all my Fortune hangs Semandra is the bus'ness of the War Semandra makes the Fight draws every Sword Semandra sounds the Trumpets gives the Word So the Moon Charms her watry World below Wakes the still Seas and makes 'em Ebb and Flow. Exeunt ACT III. SCENE I. The Field Enter Ziphares bloody with Souldiers Ziph. ARe these are these the Masters of the World O my brave Friends how have you fought to day You fought as if you all had Mistresses Who from some Battlement beheld your Valour And from your Arms expected all their Fortune Oh had you heard 'em clap their tender hands Beat their white Breasts and rend the wond'ring Heav'ns With their shrill cryes you cou'd not have done more Your looks were Basilisks to Roman Blood Your very Breath was as the furious North And drove the Legions like the Chaff before you Nor was I idle witness the wounds I feel Tho Glabrio at distance shun'd the force Of my far-darted Javelin yet it struck A Tribune down and did not useless fall What more remains but that we haste to meet Victorious Archelaus plunder their Tents And loaded with the Laurel we have won March to Synope shouting all the way Long live the King of Kings great Mithridates Enter Archelaus attended Arch. O Prince thou Life thou Soul of all the Army To whose dear hand thrice I did owe my life When thrice this day my Horse was kill'd beneath me O Renown'd day this one day of thy Valour Has drown'd in dark Oblivion all my Wars Like Time it self thy Glory shall run on While mine my fifty Iron-years of battel Lies smeer'd in dust and moulder into Ashe s. Ziph. Yes Father now I cou'd grow proud of Conquest Since it must give your Daughter to my Arms. Methought to day when I had given the word Semandra Victory declar'd her self E're yet a Death by any hand was given Ev'n now my blood more heats my youthful veins My Cheeks grow redder with the expectation Of Love's dear promis'd joys than when I strove In flame of fight with all my toil upon me To cut my way and win the famous Field Arch. Grant me you Gods before the hand of Death Comes like Eternal Night with her dark Wing To bar the comfortable light for ever From these my aged eyes O let me see A Grandchild of my Princes Sacred Blood To call him mine to feel him in my Arms To hear his innocent talk and see him smile While I tell Stories of his Fathers Valour Which he in time must learn to imitate Grant me but this you Gods and make an end Soon as you please of this old happy man Ziph. I feel a gladness lightning in my breast The kindled joy disperses quickly through me And says E're yet the setting-Sun has quench'd His Love in his cold Mistress Bed Semandra shall be mine ev'n all Semandra The thought is Extasie these Arms shall hold her Fast to my throbbing Breast these ravish'd eyes Gaze till they 're blind with looking on her Blushes These stifling Lips shall smother all her Smiles And follow her with such pursuit of Kisses That ev'n our Souls shall lose themselves in pleasure Arch. First send a Flying Messenger with news Of our great Victory Ziph. Ziphares self Must be the Harbinger of his own joy I 'll go with the best-mounted Cavalry While you behind conduct on easie March The weari'd Army Once more let me lock My Father thus Arch. My heart bodes happiness Ziph. 'T were sin to doubt since Fortune had no hand In what our Swords by dint of Valour won She to the Brave was ever a curst Foe But I at last have bound her to my Chariot By Conquering Virtue to be drag'd along And
while her broken VVheel is proudly born She shall be forc'd our Triumph to adorn Exeunt severally SCENE II. The Palace-Garden Enter Pharnaces and Andravar Andr. THen there is hope my Lord th' unsetled King May yet relapse and fall to Love again Phar. 'T is certain that the end will Crown our wishes Late as I pry'd about Semandra's Gardens Mad that our Plot a-ground so plough'd to bear Shou'd yield no Fruit still thoughtful how to work him And watching for some accident to fit Our purpose and redeem the last design I chanc'd to spy the fair Semandra sleeping But in that posture she appear'd so lovely Bold as I am she Charm'd me into wonder But strait thy General came to rescue me VVho took the hint immediately and went To see the King Andr. I guess the good design To draw him on to see our beauteous Foe Phar. You have it and 't is more than half effected I saw 'em walk Pelopidas by his action I know did kindle him with wondrous praise But once to view the bright Semandra sleeping But the King stopt as if he fear'd to go Then side-long glanc'd and sigh'd and walk'd again Rubbing his hand upon his Face to hide The rising Blushes but behold 'em here Enter Mithridates Pelopidas Mith. What are her Charms to me Pelop. 'T is true they are not And yet methinks the sight might draw down Jove Yet I 'de not ask you for the World to see her But that I think you 're Master of your promise I thought your God-like frame your strength of mind Not to be shook therefore I woo'd you Sir In Curiosity to see a Wonder But if you doubt your self Mith. I think I need not I think my Vertue is resolv'd but yet I fear and therefore I will go no farther Pelop. 'T is well resolv'd and yet methinks 't wou'd raise Your pity more than love to see the tears Force through her snowy lids their melting course To lodge themselves on her red murm'ring lips That talk such mournful things when strait a gale Of starting sighs carries those Pearls away As Dews by Winds are wafted from the Flowers Mith. 'T is wondrous pitiful by Heav'n it is I feel her sorrow working here it calls Fire to my breast and water to my eyes And if I durst Pelop. If you the least suspect Your temper if the smallest Breath of Love But stir your heart let me Conjure you Sir Not to go on the dazling manner will Disturb your quiet and confound your Reason Mith. 'T will be as well tho I believe no Power Can change my Virtue yet 't will be as well If you relate exactly what you saw Pelop. Behold her then upon a Flowry Bank With her soft sorrows lull'd into a slumber The Summers heat had to her natural blush Added a brighter and more tempting red The Beauties of her Neck and naked Breasts Lifted by inward starts did rise and fall With motion that might put a Soul in Statues The matchless whiteness of her foulded Arms That seem'd t' imbrace the Body whence they grew Fix'd me to gaze o're all that Field of Love While to my ravish'd eyes officious winds Waving her Robes display'd such handsom Limbs As Artists wou'd in Polish'd Marble give The Wanton Goddess when supinely laid She Charms her Gallant God to new enjoyment Mith. Something there is stirs mightily my Breast 'T is Pity sure it can be only Pity Who knows but that her multiplying fears And cruel griefs in time may give her death 'T were most Inhumane therefore not to go And comfort her with praises of Ziphares I 'll tell her how he Conquers how he comes Triumphant from the Consul's overthrow To take the Noble Wreaths he has deserv'd Embraces from her Arms Circles more rich Than all the Crowns my fruitless Valour won Yet stay I will not speak of him 't were rude To break her rest I 'll see her when she wakes Pelop. Then you dare trust your heart Mith. 'T is sure I dare By Heav'n my Friends I dare I feel such strong Collected Manly Virtue that I 'll on Pelop. Oh sacred Sir turn back if Conquer'd by Her Beauties you shou'd love again I know Pelopidas must bear the blame of all Therefore my Lord. Mith. Away by Heav'n I 'll go Pelop. Oh 't is impossible if once you lov'd But you must certainly relapse Therefore your fearful Servant kneels and begs You wou'd turn back Alas he 's conscious now What a gross fault his foolish tongue committed By tempting unawares your Reason forth Mith. I 'll see her yes it is resolv'd I 'll see her With all that World of Charms thou hast describ'd Therefore arise and lead the way Pelop. Alas My Lord I fear you but it is your pleasure And I 'm your Slave Mith. Reply not but obey Exeunt Mith. Pelop. Phar. I feel a pleasant expectation breeding His starts his stops by Mars he loves her still Joyn then the much prevailing circumstance Of Time and Place the absence of my Brother To make Guilt bold the loneness of her Mansion Both strong Incentives to a violent Lover Andr. Then Love has blest you on the other hand Since by our subtil practices we brought Monima to disgrace with whom you may Divert till we have gain'd our full Revenge I have the guard of her Phar. I 'm glad thou hast Then to compleat the ruine of Ziphares I hear his Mother fearful of th' Event Of this long War and loving him as life With Pompey holds private Intelligence And has to Rome giv'n all those Castles up Which she had charge of to preserve her Son Andr. This when occasion calls I 'll aggravate To mad your Father more But see the General Enter Pelopidas Pelop. He 's gone he 's ruin'd quite transported with The Extasie of Love I left him kneeling Close to her side winding about his Heart Such Nets of Beauty as must hold him fast Therefore when he approaches us for comfort Showing his griefs and seeking shroud for guilt Let us incourage to our utmost power What e're his Violent Love dares put in act Enter Mithridates Mith. Torment of heart Oh feeble Virtue hence I blow thee from the Palace to the Cottage To build in Hearts of Hinds bless their rude hands VVith thy lean recompence of endless labour For me since I have burst th' ungrateful Chain That held me to thee like a shackled Slave I will enjoy what e're the Gods have given And surfeit on the Beauties of Semandra Oh my dear Son my best my own Pharnaces By Heav'n thou never did'st oppose my pleasure As does Ziphares but I 'll cast him out That Bosom-Wolf who laps my dearest blood And lodg thee there thou wilt not rack me thus Phar. The Gods forbid But why Sir will you bear it Pelop. I cou'd not think you lov'd her at this rate Therefore I hope forgotten Virtue yielded To bolder pleasures and you quench'd your fires Mith. Drawn by resistless Love
at distance Phar. T is almost empty Honour Courtship all But gaudy Nonsense O Pelopidas Rather than buy my Pleasure with such baseness I 'de be a Brute Now by my Life methinks The happier Creature cast before thy eyes The generous Horse loose in a Flow'ry Lawn VVith choice of Pasture and of Chrystal Brooks And all his chearful Mistresses about him The white the brown the black the shining bay And every dappled Female of the Field Now by the Gods for ought we know as Man Thinks him a Beast Man seems a Beast to him Pelop. Be more considerate less rash and hot I have thought of an Expedient to gain her Phar. Thou art my better Genius and shalt flourish VVhen Archelaus like a blasted Tree Lies rotting to the ground Pelop. Did Mithridates Know of your Love to Monima Phar. He did As publickly I show'd it as Ziphares Yet he who like the Hesperian Dragon thinks The Golden Fruit of Beauty all his own Flew at me as a Thief who while he slept Had stoln his Prize and made me pay it back Or swore my life shou'd be the fatal forfeit Pelop. 'T is as I cou'd have wish'd thus then the King VVhose Heart Semandra kindles into Flame Cools every hour to his new-marry'd Bride And will not Bed her till the Coronation A meer put off wading in deep disgust And wishing for pretence to part for ever Phar. VVhich he shall have this Head of thine has thought it Pelop. I and the needful Andravar VVho feels the Pulse of his Affection VVill swear boldly As Witnesses who had both seen and heard The jealous Monima inrag'd with Love But more for what her vast Ambition lost Strove to revive the passion that you bore her But you most generously oppos'd her Charms Which with unwillingness you shall confess And beg your fiery Father to forgive her Phar. Pithy and short thou art the Soul of Counsel Pelop. The very breaking of the business throws Her into Prison where while I guard the door Your Highness may with as much ease perform Your pleasure as your faithful servant thought it Phar. In thanks the vilest fawning lying Slave Wou'd speak thee fairer than Pharnaces shall But let my deeds be grateful to my Souldier Enter Andravar What news my Andravar Andr. Your Guardian-spirit Now lays about him and invisibly Acts wonders for you madding all the Court Semandra weeping and your Father burning Monima like a Widow'd-Turtle mourning Old Archelaus pushing on his Fate And Amorous Ziphares led by love To tumble from the top of all his hopes Defiance from the Roman Consul Glabrio I sent and the third Pontick War renew'd But Love so rocks your Fathers drouzy brain That all the Trumpets of the thundring Legions Can scarce awake him See where he comes Enter Mithridates attended His haughty courage scarce submitting to The weight which presses him but striking out Mith. She must be mine this admirable Creature Her Charms are now inevitable grown And while I seem to fright her from my Son I talk and gaze and dote to my undoing See her no more lose her with weighty thoughts And drown her in the Ocean of thy Power In vain I strive with cares to keep her down In vain does business sink her to the bottom This Bladder Love still bears her up again Phar. Like a caught Lyon raging in the snare He plunges in his passion spends his force And struggles with the Toil that holds him faster Mith. See her no more and live Impossible As well I might bid Meteors keep their lustre When all the shining Exhalation's spent That fed their short-liv'd glory Enter Monima Mon. O Mithridates O my cruel Lord I come with all the violence of grief To take my last farewel Mith. What means the Queen Mon. The Queen O mockery of State Pageant of Greatness wondred at a while But strait neglected like a common thing I come my Lord to beg O Heav'ns your leave Your Royal License to retire from Court And since my Father by your bounty Reigns At Ephesus I there wou'd go to mourn And languish out my wretched Life's remain Mith. Why will you add new troubles to my Bosom Already burthen'd with the Wrath of Heav'n By your unnecessary grief Mon. From Earth I fear And not from Heav'n those Cloudy Cares are drawn Mith. No matter whence they 're dangerous to partake The tender Face of Beauty cannot bear 'em For if from Earth they come their Damp will stifle And if from Heav'n their Influence is blasting Mon. Were you but kind my Lord as once you were What blasting cou'd I fear what dangers drest In all the horrours of most dreadful Death But you are pleas'd that I shou'd not complain Andr. Semandra by your Majesty's appointment Attends without Mith. Fair Monima retire You will oblige me by a confidence I cannot be but yours affairs of State Now take me from you Mon. Say the affairs of Love I wou'd my Royal Lord but cannot blame you I feel a Spirit within me which calls up All that is Woman wrong'd and bids me chide But you are Mithridates that dear man Whom my Soul loves else were you all the Kings All Worlds all Gods I cou'd let loose upon you For those deep injuries which I must suffer Cou'd like the fighting Winds disturb all Nature With venting of my wrongs but I am hush'd As a spent Wave and all my fiery Powers Are quench'd when I but look upon your Eyes Where like a Star in water I appear A pretty sight but of no Influence And am at best but now a shining Sorrow Exit led by Pharnaces Mith. O Love if that the Face of such Affection Such modest Sweetness and such humble Virtue As my Queen bears fix not my wandring Heart Break break thy Bow and burn thy useless Arrows By Heav'n her kindness strikes my troubled Soul Enter Semandra with Andravar attending But see she 's lost again Semandra comes Who drowns like blushing Noon her paler dawn And shows like Summer to the Infant Spring Semandra what still weeping will not all The Wealth which the Sun sees throughout the East Dry up your Tears methinks an Empire might Suffice for any loss I give you all my Power And with it such a heart as nought but Love Cou'd bow I throw it bleeding at your Feet Behold behold Semandra while I blush The great effects of your Commanding Beauty Sem. Were you yet greater than you are which scarce The Gods can make you tho no bounds but Heav'n Did limit your large Sway tho in your person all The Graces met that ever Man adorn'd The Blush of Rising Youth the Conquering Eyes The Noble Smiles and those most passionate Beauties Which drew my Heart to Idolize your Son I cou'd not love you Mith. Oh unmerciful Sem. You said my Lord but now You blush'd to think of your degraded Power How then ought I to blush I who shou'd be The daily Curse of your repining Subjects I
who am bound by Oaths and solemn Vows To love Ziphares By my Father's Order And by the tenderest Inclination too Mith. You strike me dead Sem. Oh do but think my Lord How wou'd Mankind when they shall read my Story Tear all the Rolls or throw 'em to the Flames How wou'd the weeping Maids curse my remembrance Shou'd I for pride of Power a Golden Promise A gaudy Nothing prove ingrateful perjur'd Leave all the goodness of the Earth to languish And break for ever with his matchless Virtue Mith. You have said and I confess it to be Heav'nly I know and till I saw your Eyes I lov'd The Virtue of my Son I lodg'd him near My Heart and set him down my Successor But now Oh hear and wonder at your Power Spight of his Noble Acts tho to his Arm I owe my Life tho Justice speaks so loud And the soft Tongue of Nature pleads so well I hate him more than I did ever love him Sem. Alas wou'd I had dy'd when first you saw me Mith. Had he conspir'd my Death usurp'd my Throne Perhaps I might have doom'd him to be slain Yet sure I shou'd have wept to see him die But now since he must Ravish that lov'd Gem I prize above the World tearing you from me Giving me twenty Deaths and cutting through My very Soul shou'd I my Empire give To buy his Fate I 'de think it vastly sold. Sem. Then blasted be the Form that charm'd your Eyes His Fate Oh Gods then you design his Death To reap the Bloody Harvest of his Life And Atreus-like to feed on your own Bowels But know Proud Monarch there are Powers who see And punish Crimes like yours Nor can I doubt But they will save from your most Impious Rage My poor lov'd Lord the Innocent Ziphares Weeping Mith. Those Waters more inrage my Jealous Flame And those heav'd Sighs but spread my Anger 's Wings Your Fatal Kindness hastens on his Death And that untimely Doom which I forbore To execute seems necessary now You give him all your Stock of richest Love Your Tears your longing Looks your Smiles your Groans And over-bless him with your lavish kindness But niggardly to me you will not spare A pitying Glance one Pearly drop to Ransom The Soul of this despairing Mithridates Andravar go and bear the Prince to Prison Sem. Stay Andravar the King has call'd you back See he repents Nay I must hold you then And if you stir you take Semandra with you O Mithridates O ungrateful Prince What was it you did order But behold His Eyes are fix'd upon the ground he blushes To think he cou'd so monstrously Decree To murder the sweet hopes of all his Kingdoms The Gods be prais'd for this Serene Repentance Yet with the fright I fear I shall not sleep Till Death does close my Eyes Mith. O rise Semandra Sem. Never I never will Oh all you pitying Powers will not my cryes And piercing Woes move you to melt his Soul Can you be deaf Oh Cruel Mithridates Did you but know the workings you have made The heavy plight the panting Passions here If you had but a Grain of all that World Of Love you swore you once had for Semandra You cou'd not see me thus Misery distracts My Reason shou'd you turn to a new rage Which I must fear unless you Vow to save him I cou'd not bear it you shou'd see me fall Cold pale and with my Deaths Convulsions grasping Your water'd feet but never more rise Mith. Give me your Beauteous Hand I swear upon it By all those Powers we worship by our Self When e're Ziphares dies Semandra kills him She shall alone have Power to give him Death Or to recal his most untimely Fate Enter Ziphares and Archelaus Thus dearly do I buy the Red Impression Which my Lips make but take it take it from me My Blood boils up again my Spirits kindle That lovely Brand has lent my wishes flame And I am lost again in vast desire Ziph. Semandra live I once to see thee more Tho in my Father's Arms 'T is Heav'n to gaze On thy assaulted Honour thus to see thee Thus tempted from me with the Charms of Empire Yet not consenting No I 'll not think the World Laid at thy Feet Cou'd win thy Faith Yet O dread Sir forgive me If that my boding Heart suspects you more Then all that Heav'n cou'd send down great and charming Or Hell cou'd raise up horrid to destroy me Mith. O Glory Arch. O consider Sir on that Think how the Romans will despise your Wars If Love now drive you Speak my Lord he yields Ziph. Oh Royal Sir or if the Name of Father Can move you more by that I will Conjure you By all the Charms of Stratonice's Eyes When first they drew you to adore their lustre By all the Pains you gave her when she bore me By all the Obedience I have paid you long And by the Blood I yet intend to lose In your behalf oh grant me my Semandra Sem. Ev'n by the Passion my unhappy Beauty First kindled in you but I hope is dying Give me Ziphares give him to my Longings Mith. 'T is done the Conquest is at last obtain'd And Manly Virtue Lords it o're my Passion It shall be so away thou feeble God I banish thee my Bosom hence I say Be gone or I will tear the Strings that hold thee And stab thee in my Heart The Wars come on By Heav'n I 'll drown thy laughing Deity In Blood and drive thee with my brandish'd Sword To Rome I will yes to the Capitol There to resume thy Godhead once again And vaunt thy Majesty without controul But never Reign in Mithridates Soul Arch. O wonderful effect of highest Virtue O Conquest which deserves more Triumphs than A hundred Victories in Battel gain'd Ziph. You must you shall be now the Lord of Rome Her Fate shall bow beneath your Awful Scepter O let me not enjoy the Life you promis'd The vast possession of the rich Semandra If I strike not Rome's Eagles to the Earth Take the Imperial Standard Chase their Legions And bring in Triumph all their Leaders bound Mith. Andravar haste Proclaim throughout the City My Son Ziphares General against the Romans Exit Andravar Come to my Breast once more my dearest Son In spight of Love thou art again my Child Thus with a Father's bowels I receive thee Thus melting o're thee with the tenderest Nature I pray the Gods to Crown thy Youth with glory Ziph. Oh Happiness Oh Joy Oh blessed Tears Reward this Goodness Heav'n for Poor Ziphares Is now so lost he knows not what to say Let me devour your hands with Filial dearness Were my whole Life to come one heap of Troubles The pleasure of this moment wou'd suffice And sweeten all my griefs with its remembrance Sem. Oh happy hour if I not set thee down The whitest that the Eye of Time e're saw Let me ne're smile when I remember thee
you ever-burning Lights Who have beheld at midnight from your Orbs Our flames that kindled bright and chaste as yours Which of you all which most malignant Star Show me that envious Fire that crost our loves That I may curse him from his fatal Sphere Arch. Name it I say the ground of all this trouble I feel a warm revenge run through my blood As if I had put off some forty year Methinks I stand as fit to fight the Cause Of Friendship now as then I cou'd my Love's But speak Ziph. Thy Daughter Arch. Well I guess'd Fate wounded there Ziph. Semandra my most fair dear gentle Mistress Arch. If she be false she is no longer fair Ziph. That sweet protesting Creature that pure whiteness Where I so deep had writ my Vows in blood Is taken from me Arch. By her own consent Ziph. Most certain That Eternal Bond of Oaths Committed to her keeping now is Cancell'd Ev'n her fair Hand the Seal of all my Love Her Hand has given her faithless Heart away Arch. Then she is false you know her to be so Ziph. False false as waters winds or wand'ring fires She is more false than Woman can believe Arch. The opening of her treachery come how was 't Particular revenge wou'd know particulars At first I guess'd she did receive you kindly Ziph. Quite contrary as if she ne're had seen me Quite alter'd quite estrang'd reserv'd and cold With all the coyness of a base-born Beauty Made proud with Pow'r not one tender look The very Accent of her Voice was chang'd Nor was she to be known but by her Beauty Nought else cou'd speak her to my Sense the same O nothing but the Face of my Semandra Arch. When my keen Sword shall glitter in her eyes Doubt not but I shall make her know you well And tho you never grace her with your favour For she is now unworthy your imbraces Yet I will bring the Traytress to your knees Ziph. Can it be Thou shou'dst be ignorant she 's past the giving Arch. I have not met the news which your swoln eyes Appear so big with Ziph. Here I am lost again Here all my courage which has born the blow Of sternest War shrinks like a beaten Coward Here I confess my Piety gives way I cou'd fall out with the forgetful Gods And curse the cruel Author of my Being No Tyrant no thou bloody Parent think not That I will bear it longer I 'll forget Like thee all nature all remorse all pity And snatch her from thee wedded as you are Arch. What Wedded Marri'd Ziph. Wedded Marri'd Bedded He has enjoy'd her rifled that fair Casket Where all the riches of my life were laid Yes yes you Gods I saw 'em pass along Pass to the Temple through the crouded Streets Saw 'em come back darted my wishing eyes At her false Face with such accusing glances She fainted in the Chariot yes I saw her Sink pale and dying down but there I lost her And left her to the Revels of the Night To be enjoy'd ev'n this last night enjoy'd Arch. By all the Honours which she has dishonour'd She shall not live another Ziph. Oh my Father Cou'd you but guess the pains that I endur'd Oh all the subtillest fits of sharpest sickness Were nothing to the torments which I bore I tim'd ev'n their disrobing kisses smiles The first imbraces and the racking joy But there methought Fancy it self was stopt It cou'd no more The limit of my life Was found the end of all my joys on Earth Arch. She dies not Destiny shall save her from me As she has sworn and as she has forsworn I 'll draw my Sword bath'd in her dearest blood From forth her Heart-strings while the rank red VVeeds Cling to my reeking Blade or wou'd you more I am grown up to your anger Ziph. General hold I have been Impious in my vented rage For which oh pardon me my Royal Father And you most injur'd Pow'rs whom I offended And oh what-ever shall become of me Forgive the fair the false the lov'd Semandra If while I live thou mark her gentle Limbs With the least wound it ends Ziphares life Or if thou hurt her after I am dead Thou 'lt raise my Ashes up in Arms against thee Isme. My Lord the Queen Semandra's coming hither Ziph. Say'st thou Isme. The Queen But see she enters Ziph Ha! Enter Semandra Sem. Oh Ziphares Oh Prince Oh thou most wrong'd Ziph. How can this be Madam you ought at least To have sent me word for now instead of Songs I can present you nothing but my tears A beating heart and groans that will not suit VVith your most happy state your blest condition Sem. Ah did you rightly understand my suffrings You wou'd not wound a bleeding dying Creature But I 'll endure yet more VVhen I am dead And 't is too late you 'l murmure to your self At least I might have heard what the poor VVretch Cou'd say Arch. Oh Syren but I will be hush'd Aside Ziph. VVhat canst thou say if I resolve to hear thee Thou wilt but tear the wounds which thou hast made This Visit was most cruel why com'st thou then For fear I shou'd forget thee Merciless VVoman Arch. Yet let us hear her Prince let 's hear the Sorceress That when sure Vengeance overtakes her Crimes She may have nought to answer Sem. The good Gods Reward that Voice of Mercy First then my Lord. Ziph. No I 'll be gone Fly Archelaus fly She has a Tongue that can undo the VVorld She eyes me just as when she first inflam'd me Such were her looks so melting was her language Such false soft sighs and such deluding tears VVhen from her lips I took the luscious poyson VVhen with that pleasing perjur'd breath avowing Her whispers trembl'd through these credulous ears And told the story of my utter ruine Arch. Nay 't is impossible to clear her self And it was Impudence to offer at it Therefore thou shameless Off-spring of my Blood I 'll cut thee from me thus with all thy Crimes Die as thou did'st desire Half-drawing stopt by Ziph. Ziph. Hold thy hand I charge thee touch her not Arch. By Heav'n she dies I may dispose my own she shall not live Ziph. By all the Gods she shall while I have breath And if thou draw'st I 'll guard her life with mine I shou'd be loth to lift my Arm 'gainst thee Of all Mankind but were my Father here Resolv'd to give her Death I wou'd oppose him Sem. Draw then and sheath your weapons in my breast In curst Semandra's Heart but for the VVorld Oh Father do not wound the Prince Ziphares And oh Ziphares do not hurt my Father Upon my knees I beg you to be calm And hear me thus Ziph. Oh rise false as thou art Thou once wert Empress of my Soul and I Still drag thy Chains Speak then Semandra speak For I 'm so doz'd so weary with complaining That I cou'd stand and listen to