this Burst of sudden woe To have me snatch'd from his impatient Arms Ev'n in the brightest shine of his full hopes To lose me when he most did think me his Oh! 't is enough to make him talk and rave Emp. Rise Noble Portia I must not let you kneel Port. O! I will kneel as long as I have Life Till I can move your cruel Breast to Pity Think what it is to lose a thing you love Though but a Trifle and as he loves me For Oh! he loves me good Gods how he does love me His very Soâ—l is bound up in my Faith I 'm sure 't would kill him should I speak unkindly Indeed it wou'd and when you drag me from him You tear the very Strings of his poor Heart Think what the wild convulsive pangs of Love Of wondrous Love wou'd force your Tongue to speak Emp. Well Madam you 've Charms I find that will prevail His Life I give you ev'n against my Peace But see you learn Compassion from me Fair One I shall expect it Mar. Barbarian I dispise thee and thy Pity I charge thee do not dare to banish me For if thou dost Por. O! do not â—ouse his Wrath I 've lull'd asleep But with me kneel and own the generous Gift Mar. How Portia is this kind to thank the Tyrant For the extent and utmost stretch of 's Malice Life without thee is lingring on the Rack Por. Ha! without me forbid it ye just Pow'rs No I will wander with thee through the World Through the bad World to find out a Retreaâ— from Villany for Virtue and for Love Come let 's away for Exile's only here Emp. Go see him strait â—ithout the City Gates To the Guards Taking hold of her Hand Hold Mâ—dam you must stay and shine in Rome The leading Star of all her 〈◊〉 Host. Por. Stand off Snaâ—ching 〈◊〉 Hand away and flying to Martian catches hold of his Arm amidst the Guards â—or I 'll go with my Lord my Love Thus will I cling to him as long as I have Life Not Death it self shall loose my eager hold Emp. Dogs Hell and Furies am I not obey'd Cut off the Traytor 's Arm ev'n in her grasâ— And drag him â—ence and drive him out of Rome If he comes back he dyes Por. Oh! hurt not him for see my Hands are lâ—os'd The Guards struggle and offering to cut his Arm she lets go He 's born out Mar. Dogs barbarous Tyrant bloody Villains Por. Stay take one parting Kiss stay prithee do Stay but a Moment for I 've much to say Believe me constant think me thine for ever Not Racks nor Torture shall pervert my Faith Oh let me hear from thee each tedious Minute I 'll send thee back my restless Throws and Pangs My eager Longings and my raving Wishes Looking up and about Ha! he is gone torn from my panting Bosome Torn from me in the Temple at the Altar Revenge it Gods upon this bloody Tyrant Pour on his guilty Head Distress and Ruin Poverty Contempt Rebellion Slavery Knawing Diseases Leprosies Plagues and Famine Blast all his Hopes and Wishes in Enjoyment Seize him ye Furies sink him plunge him in profoundest Hell For my poor Martian for my injur'd Martian Aurel. Forgive me Friendship if I 'm silent now Aside Or seem to break thy holy Laws to keep 'em It is the only means of dear Revenge If I dissemble well I gain the Pow'r To crush the Tyrant and restore my Friend Emp. Wrong not thy Vertue thus for â— black Traytor But lift thy Eyes up to a Monarch's Love To Portia offering her his Hand Por. Ha! Love from thee blasted be thy Tongue That spoke the guilty word thy Mind that form'd it I ne'er shall fall from the auspicious Height Of Martian's Love to th' low Abyss of thine O! no! the vast Descent's too terrible And my Soul sickens at the dreadful View Avant be gone nor with one touch pollute me Starts away from him Aurel. Forbear my Sister before the awful Gods T' affront their Srâ—red Image in your Prince But know the generous Honour that he means you And let me give you to his Royal Arms. Por. Is it Aurelian spoke those guilty words Sure 't is impossible desert thy noble Friend On the first shock of his unequal Fortune Aur. No Friend can ballance with my Emperor's Will He and the Gods require our first Obedience Nor shall you fondly throw away their Blessing Por. O Martian Martian How wilt thou believe it A part of me is false to thee already Oh! Where is Virtue fled Apostate Wretch How I dispise thee and disclaim thy Blood pauses a little Oh! break my Heart this is too much to bear Stand off and give me Room that I may dye I will not stay in this contagious World O let me fly aloft to the great Gods And snatch their idle Thunder to destroy you Oh! Oh! Oh! Faints away Emp. Ha! by the Gods she faints go bear her gently To the Imperial Pallace Quiet and Musick May smooth and lull this Frenzy of her Mind Come to my Arms my Brother now and Friend to Aurel. Thy Zeal for me shall meet a just Reward The Prize thou giv'st deserves my Diadem For on her Love depends thy Emperor's Life bound with these Bonds my Empire thou shalt share Thine be the rugged Glories of the War And mine the boundless Joys of this soft yielding Fair. The End of the First ACT. ACT II. SCENE I. An Anti-Chamber in the Empresses Appartment in the Pallace Enter Perennius and Laetus Laetus HAve but a little Patience Peren. Patience Now Curses on thy Counsels they have ruin'd me And then thou thrusts me out to slavish Patience Patience the lazy Refuge of mean Souls That rather bear than struggle with their Fortune Gods how I despise it if I fall it shall Be in a manly grapple with my Fate While my large Ruins crush ye all to Atoms No more of thy dull Counsels Laet. You lik'd 'em once And by 'em have remov'd your pow'rful Rival Peren. But rais'd a greater set Portia farther off Beyond the bounds of my exteâ—sive hopes M' Ambition too 's defeated for her Brother Wears all the Plumes of his degraded Friend And fond as a Child of 's new gaudy Cloaths Already 's gone to take possession of ' em Had I but gain'd that point my love had thriv'd Spight of the changeful Emperors Will or Pow'r Laet. I know not what you think that look through Mists Through Clouds of Passion but to me I swear By the great Gods that all seems wondrous Well Why are we here else at this dead of Night And by the Empresses Order but with freedom To consult your mutual satisfaction Is she not raging with neglected Love Resents she not with more than equal Ardor Th' estrang'd Affections of the Emperor But you will lose this means of Happiness Rather than have Patience slavish Patience Per. Pardon me Friend my Soul is on the Rack I cannot
her harâ—ass'd Armies starve abroad Here see her rifl'd by Domestick Spoilers The pointed Dagger levell'd at her Heart And loose the Sense of it in unmanly Pleasures O! Virtue Honour whether are you fled When Martian has forgot your glorious Charms Mar. Enough my Friend I own the guilty Charge Thou 'st got the start of me in Glorys Race I own I 've been a Lag all shall be mended And Rome shall find that I 've not yet forgot her Be but thou still my Friend Aur. Oh Sir for ever Be sure of that not all the Shocks of Fortune Or wearing time shall 〈◊〉 pervert my â—aith Mar. Then let 's away I 'll to my â—ortiâ—s Bâ—some And in that Aromatic Flame Burn off the 〈…〉 my rising Soul And on the Eagle of her â—oaring Victues As from th' Imperial Fuâ—eral Pile Mount up the Roman's just aveâ—ging God And purge their City from the â—â—lty Herd Of Pimps Bawds Flatterers Informers Ruffians Userers and Betrayers of the public Good Exert the Soldier in this noble Cause And â—ix their Freedom and restore the Laws Aur. Bravely resolv'd away then to the Temple And thence to cheer your longing Army's Hearts Mar. It shall be so but see th' Emp'rour comes And with him Perenniâ—â—â— That Monstrous Birth of prostiuted Favour Exeunt Enter Emperor Perâ—nnius Laetus and Train Perennius and Laetus seem to speak to him as he 〈◊〉 Em. There needs no more you 've made his Guilt most plain And he shall find that 〈◊〉 will not Bear his Wrongs like a poâ—r â—ame 〈◊〉 For I will punish him as he deserves Nor shall the awful Temple there protect him I 'll treat my Justice with ingenious Mischief Ev'n to the height and wantonness of Revenge Pâ—ss on to the Temple Scene opens and diâ—covers a magnificent Temple dâ—ring the Ceremony the Emperor gazes earnestly on Portia The Solemn Invocation and Music. O Juno Sâ—adela O Mighty Jove Diana and thou brightest Queen of Love Who o're our Nuptial Riâ—es preside Show'r united Blessings on our beauteous Bride Give her Health and give her Ioy Give her ev'ry Year a Boy Brave as his Father as his Mother Good Full of the Vâ—rtues of his ancient Blood Send us kind Omens while aloud we Sing Jo Thalassius Jo Jo Thalassius Jo Jo When the last Chorus is sung the Flamen Dialis leads Portia to touch the Fire and the Water â—n the Altar at another Flamen does Martian they cross so that while one touches â—he Fire the other touches the Water and when the Chorus is done the Flamen Dialis asks Martian Will you Caiâ—s have Caia to be your Wiâ—e He answers Yes Then â—e asks Portia Will you Caia have Caiâ—s to be your Husband As she 's going to answer the Emperor stepâ— between and separates them Emp. NO by the Gods I swear it ne'r shall be Sooner shall Tygers wed the bâ—eating Sheâ—p And Birds engender with the 〈◊〉 Serpent Sooner shall all Extreams unite than thou and Portia Mar. Gods good Gods fix my â—taggeâ—ing Pâ—ety That I don't violate your holy Dwellings Por. Alas my Bodingâ—fears what means the Emperour Emp. To snatch thee from Pâ—rdition from a Traytor Mar. Traytor ha What Villain has traudu'd me And is my Virtue so unknown to you Emp. Traduce thee Oâ— Impudence Oh! acted Virtue With such false Baits you catch my needless People To back your Treasons but I 'll crâ—sh thee Scorpion And heal the Wound up with thy guilty Blood Mar. Produce the Villain that will dare t' accuse me Emp. It is enough that I 'm convinc'd 't is true Mar. It is too much too much ingrateful Prince Have I for this upheld thy sinking State And stem'd the Torrent of o'â—flowing Foes That from each side came rowling in upon thee Aur. Oh! have but Patience do not fix your Ruine Mar. Preach Patience to the Winds or raging Fires They 'l sooner hear thee Shall I bear my Wrongs Like Boys and Women with secret Moans and Tears No by the Gods I 'll urge his Baseness home Upbraid him with Ingratitude to 's Face Have I not left the sweets of downy Peace For the fierce Shock of Weather and of War The parching Heats and the â—â—eak â—â—â—zing Colds To keep thee safe in thy 〈…〉 Ease Have I not spent whole sâ—eepless Night in Arms To keep your lazy Slumbers here unbroken On Beds of Roses with lewd Whores and Boys Whilst the Ambition of your mighty Mind Soar'd not above some Kitchen Mystery And durst not hear the Battles that I fought Emp. Ha! durst not hear ' em Base detracting Envy â—Be Witness all how I disdain this Boaster Pauses alittle He knows it well when â—ury once prevail'd â—or I 〈◊〉 War not out of Fear but Choice How I like 〈◊〉 in the Phlegreâ—â— Plains Quash'd stern Iâ—geâ—â—us and drove home the Goths Whose numerous Swarms struck Rome it self with Terror Mar. It was a Start quitâ— from thy Native Bent And yet ev'n then thy Cruelty burst ouâ— With wild Delight enjoy'd the bloody Field VVanton'd in Goaâ— and dimn'd your brightest Action Like a wide wasting Plague y'impeopl'd Countries That own'd the Roman Pow'â— you then had fal'n A Victim to th' avenging Army's Rage Had not my misplac'd Love most timely quell'd ' em Em. I 'll hear no more Mar. You dare not by the Gods You dare not hear how much you are indebted Because you have resolv'd you ne'r will pay Your Life you own me and your Empire too To me you owe the Pow'r by which you wrong me If you not like it why return the Gift Emp. This Insolence is never to be born Guards seize the Traytor I 'm not â—afe ev'n here Mar. Oh! the just Gods pauses a little but I deserve it all For if I am a Traytor 't is to Rome To let this purple Monster lay her wast For she derives her Sufferings all from mâ— Her VVidow'd Matron's Paâ—gs her Oâ—phan's Tears Her ravish'd Virgins and her muâ—ther'd Fathers For 't was from me she took thee for her Lord. Emp. It is enough there needs no farther Proof Away with him Por. O! Emperor hear me hear the wretched Portiâ— If ever gentle Pity touch'd your Soul For Honour and for Justice hear me speak Mar. Kneel not to him nor urge him by such Motives How can he pitty us that sports with Murther And laughs at all the Groans of gasping Rome How can the source of daily Wrongs love Justice Or Honour move his mean degeneâ—ate Heart That leaves his noble Father still in Boâ—ds The shameful Footstool of the Persian King Who still unpunish'd when he mounts his Horse Treads on the hoary Majesty of Roâ—e Emp. What e'er he does the Majesty of Rome Shall not be bearded in th' imperâ—al City Therefore away with him to the 〈◊〉 Rock Por. Stay stay till I 've spoke but to the Emperor To the Guards 〈◊〉 agâ—in O! Sir consider will you kill your Soldier Your Empire 's Guard and for a few rash words Forc'd from him by
this Midnight hour Sees him All raging Love and she within his Pow'r Her Virtue must too weak a Guard have been Against the force of such alluring Sin Emp. Wrong not by your fond Jealousie betrayd Th' immortal Virtue of this heav'nly Maid In Contradiction by the Gods design'd To our false Maxims against Woman kind For in a Court in â—pight of Force or Pray'r She 's Constant Chast a Woman Young and Fair. Empress Why will you then pursue a fruitless pain Fly what you have for what you can't obtain Return my Wanderer O! return again I Sigh I Pant I perish by delay My sleeping Cares my Pangs and Fears all Day Embraces him Come to my Breast thou 'st been too long away When scarce awake about my Arms I cast With eager hopes to press my Emperor fast But he not there I draw 'em back gain Then reach all round but all alass in vain For he 's fled from me who should ease my Pain My Fears awake me and I gaze around But there no Print of my false Love is found Frighted I rise to seek where he is fled Then throw my self upon my Widow'd Bed Por. O! Emperor can't such a tender Love Your stubborn Heart with gentle Pity move Emp. Her nauseous fondness but provokes my scorn Por. O barbarous Wretch sure of no Woman born No soft Compassion harbours in thy Mind But all thy Deeds confess thy Savage kind Foolish as false slight the best Joys of Life In the Embraces of a constant Wife Emp. A Wifes Embraces are all pall'd and dull Besides your Image fills m' extended Soul From your fierce Love no Refuge I can find Like Guilt inexpiable it hants my Mind Converts me all into its self like Fire In which like Fuel spent I must at last expire Empress O! try by Absence to dissolve these Charms Fly from her Witchcraft to my Circling Arms. Emp. Too weak that Circle to secure my Heart Sh' has spread the Poyson through each vital part Absence alas attempts my Cure in vain Absence it self augments the charming Pain The more I 'm from her still I love the more Possession only can my Peace restore But there Fate stands and with an awâ—ul Brow Checks each sond Wish and every eager Vow Drives me all naked from Hopes warmer Air To the severest Winter of Despair Por. Behold more kind and nobler Beautys there Pointing to the Empress Emp. You turn my Eyes from you to her in vain ' Spight of Despair and all its gastly train I 'll love you still and fond the raging Pain Nor to pale Night will I resign my Breath But shun the enticing blandishments of Death Death to your Pow'r a speedy end wou'd give But in the Tortures you ordain I 'll live Empress Believe him not for he is all Deceit Taught by my Ills avoid the treacherous Bait. For ah by fond Credulity betray'd I thought all true the lov'd Dissembler said Beliv'd his Words addrest with all the Art Of strong Perswasion to subdue my Heart Believ'd his Oaths believ'd each tender Vow Believ'd his melting Tears which artfully did flow The fatal shelf of Faith in him oh shun I but believ'd him and I was undone Portia Fear not fair Empress any wrong from me How little he can move my Heart you see His Words like empty sounds pass by my heedless Ears His Love gives me no Pleasure and his Threats no Fears Empress See she rejects you whether wou'd you fly It is not Portia doats on you but I. Oh let me reap the Fruit of her kind Scorn Emperor Away this fondness is not to be born Nor do you much insult ingrateâ—ul Fair On thee I will revenge these Pangs of my Despair I will not long thus burn with hopeless Fires Nor groan beneath the weight of impotent Desires Por. Thy threats don't touch me more than thy vain Love Empress Hear me O hear ye conscious Pow'rs above How oft he swore the Tyler's Streams shou'd go Back sooner to the Source from whence they flow That Sun and Moon shou'd sooner loose their Light And bury Mankind in Eternal Night Than he be false Then Tyber quickly turn And with inverted Volumes hast t' your Native Urn Rise Darkness rise and hide us all for he 's forsworn The dear Protester now is falser grown Than Wind or Ocean or the changefull Moon Pressing him in her Arms. Emperor I cannot will not love nay see you more Empress O! ye just Gods who heard him when he swore By Iuno Venus Vesta and by Iove To me and me alone Eternal Love Why ye tame Gods why don't ye strike him dead Why don 't your Bolts pierce his devoted Head Pauses Ah no! good Gods spare spare his precious Life Kneeling Transfix the Heart of his abandon'd Wife Emperor I 'll hear no more For such Contagion her soft Words impart I feel a Forraign Pity storm my Heart aside Empress O! you must hear me for Pity 's sake but hear To my Complaints you may afford your Ear Though your dear Heart be gone Emp. I must away I shall betray my weakness if I stay He struggles to get from her Empress Oh! stay and tell me tell me prithee do Why thou deserts thy wretched Empress so What Crimes your Anger and Aversion move But a too mighty tenderness and Love Emperor Stand off and loose me or Clapping his Hand on his Dagger Empress Draw not thy Dagger thy poor Wife to kill Thy Cruelty will do 't indeed it will Weeps Emperor There 's a Confusion fixes me in Ill Methinks it is unworthy me to yield No I will fly since I can't keep the Field Breaks from her and Exit Empress Oh! he is gon the cruel false one 's gon Por. Persue him Madam and the day 's your own Your Goodness bore his stubborn Vices down And for just Pity made a noble way You suffer them to rally if you stay Emp. O! I am weary of this fruitless Pain Gods must I wast my Charms and Youth in vain No I will arm me with severe Disdain A generous Pride my surest Guard will prove Against the Fury of my hopeless Love Pauses Ah! no it will not be my Heart rebels And all the Efforts of Pride my raging Love repels Well I will after him pursue him still And if he will not love me sure he 'll kill Oh! that he wou'd ev'n so but give me Rest I 'd clasp the dear Destroyer to my dying Breast Exit Por. Unhappy Princess may'st thou find Success For mine is twisted in thy Happiness If thy strong Virtue but Triumphant proves We both shall reap the Harvest of our Loves Exit SCENE III. Changes to the Street Enter Martian and Cleander Mart. CLeander prithee leave me with the rest Surpriz'd turn'd out to the inclement World Naked of Help I have no means to keep thee Banish'd proscrib'd a Price set on my Head My only Bosome Friend that shou'd have lent His Shoulder to support this sinking Atlas Flyes
thee from my Arms Because it sees I 've not deserv'd thee yet Por. Alas thy Love restores my tainted Blood Or sees not the black Crimes it has admitted Mar. What canst thou mean thy frightfâ—l Words and Gesture Cast a chill shivering Horror o're my Soul Por. Perhaps thou know'st it not the guilty Shame Confounds me I cannot utter it Mar. If it be ought that does concern my Love That threatens that delay not to inform me If not all other Ills are Forraign things And give no Pain Por. Must I then tell my Shame Mar. Ha! thy Shame what wou'd these dreadful Words Tainted Blood black Crimes and guilty Shame Nay thy Shame too ha Gods I shall grow wild With gastly doubts with strange with shocking Fears Art thou infected with thy Sexes Frailties False to thy Vows thy numerous Vows and Oaths Impossible Answer me Can this be This is too much too much relentless Pow'rs Makes me fall out with Providence and think That We 're abus'd with Maxims of your Goodness This is not Just I cannot will not bear it Por. O! have but Patience Mar. I 've all th' extent of patient Sufferance Can bear th' Insults of the tumultuous People The Savage Fury of a Tyrant's Will Not all the threatning Hurricane of Heav'n Nor the right Hand of dreadful thundering Iove Nor shou'd the Frame of Nature burst asunder And crush us all to Atoms wou'd it move me But this is worse than Poverty Disgrace Exile Diseases Rods Axes or Distruction O end me end me quickly Gods least I Blaspheme and doubt your Beings Ah! Blast me with Lightning throw me down Por But ah my Brother your loving Friend Aurelian Mar. What oâ— him Por. Ah! he is false could'st thou think it Urg'd me to falsehood too indeed he did Courted the Tyrant with most Servile Flattery To build his Fortune upon Martian's Ruins Calm this loud Tempest thy Mistake has rais'd Or see me perish in thy Sight this moment Mar. O! thou hast Pow'r to footh unruly Frenzy Yes I will hear you though you Damn me farther Por. Oh! that I love thee Martian with all the Force Of Purity and Truth be Witness Heav'n And ev'ry awful Pow'r bend down and hear While in the fond Abundance of my Heart I swear I love thee more than Health or Life Than Liberty or wish'd for Peace of Mind Next to my Countrys good and my own Honour Mar. O charming Words O extasie of Sound How it expands my Soul with mighty Joy So when the thundring Drum and Trâ—mpets Clangor The Horses Neighing and the Soldier 's Shouts Rouse me to Battle with a Godlike Rage The noble Fire extends my Heart and Bounds Through all my Veins and I am Ardor all Tumultuous Transport and Immortal Fury Pauses I have offended Portia by my Doubts But Oh! my Love I swear thou aâ— treveng'd Ixions's Wheel and old Prometheus Vulture And all the various Tortures of the Damn'd Are sure much less than mine was But my Fair Since thou art true no matter who is false What say'st thou now â—m not I infected Spotted all o're a part of me has wrong'd thee Mar. No thou art white and pure as Innocence He is no part of thee nor of thy Kin Born of some Slave and palm'd upon thy Parents The filthy product of some Courtier 's Lust And in Hypocrisie has outdone his Sire I knew his Treachery and had forgot it Name him no more the horrid Thought distracts me And quite inverts the Orders of my Soul For Oh! he 'd wound himself about my Heart With all the noble Bonds of â—acred Friendship That it has cost me strange stupendious Pangs To rend him from it but he 's gone and May all the Curses he invok'd light on him Por. Ha! I hear a noise fly my gentle Love A Noise at a distance Flye â—ar from Rome Oh! fly this Den of Thieves I charge you by your Love make hast away I had thus long in Joy forgot thy Danger You are not safe this is the Seat of Ruffians Informers Sycophants Here the Brother Trusts not the Brother nor the Son the Father Or if they do they 're certainly deceiv'd All Tyes of Trust and Confidence are ceas'd Mar. I must not leave thee then in such Contagion But thou must with me Por. More willingly than With a Guardian God but how is' t possible Mar. All 's possible To love like thine and mine I 'll force my way Thro' the thin Guard Por. That will but arm the Court against thy Life Mar. What is the Court the mean enervate Court There 's not the Soul of one brave Man among 'em They love themselves too well to seek out Danger I am thy Soldier and this Arm shall make ' em Keep awful distance while I bear thee through ' em Por. Thy Love and Courage will not see the Hazard But I alas yet I will with my Love To dye with thee is next to living with thee But oh my Fears I hear the Noise again Doors op'ning the steps Of some in hast ah clap on thy Disguise Or I shall dye with dreadful Apprehension He claps it on Mar. Fear not my Love thou must be Heaven's chief care And for thy Virtue they will spare thy Martian Por. See 't is the Empress Enter Empress Emp. Who have you here For I 've important Business with you Portia That near concerns your Happiness and mine Por. This Madam is an honest faithful Slave Whom I am sending to my exil'd Lord. Emp. Will you not go your self then Por. Did I know how Swift as the wind with all the â—peed of Fear Emp. That I design'd to tell you when I found My Emperor with you but then you know My Love Desire and Hope made me pursue him But since I cou'd not find him I 'm return'd To beg thee if thou h'st Pity Love or Virtue As much thou seem'st to have to fly him strait I cannot rest while you are here thus near him For ah his Wit his soft deluding Tongue Will melt thee else to an abhor'd Complyance Oh! he is perfect in betraying Wiles Knows every subtle passage to the Heart And all the wondrous force of pointed Looks Can thaw the Icy Bosome of a Vestal Though for the Sin she 's sure to suffer Death Oh! what cannot his cunning Arts perform Perswade the Miser from his hoarded Gold Active Ambition into languid Ease And ev'n the Priesthood into humble Honesty Fly therefore fly the dear Destruction fly For if you stay your Virtue surely dyes Por. Not that I doubt my Virtue I wou'd fly But my Soul still languishes to Martian With most impetuous Ardor Oh! shew me But how I shall get to him Emp. 'T is thus I have procur'd a pious Vestal Virgin Who will convey thee safe to Vesta's Temple And thence find Means to get you out of Rome She waits us now in a lone Gallery To which I will by secret Doors conduct you That come not near your
Guards Por. You hear Cleander where you soon may find me Go to my Lord and let him know the Joy 'T will ease his throbbing Heart and cure his â—riefs He 'll bless the Gods that when no help was hop'd Sent kind Relief to Vertue in Distress Mar. Madam I will and may the Pow'rs above Crown all the Pious Empresses Desires Exit Emp. Come gentle Portia use the present Hour The next perhaps may not be in our Pow'r Exeunt Ambo SCENE II. A Gallery in the Pallace Enter Perennius and Laetus in a Vestal Virgins Habit. Peren. THIS is the place the Empress order'd us To wait her in But I must not be seen Is going Gods what sudden Trembling's this that shakes me My Nerves forsake their office my knees knock Faintness and Shiv'ring chills my Heart Laet. 'T is the surprize of near approaching Joy That like a Mid-night 'Larum in a Camp Starts all your Faculties into Confusion They 'll soon into their ancient order fall And bear you bravely to the noble Onset Per. I hope they will-Hark a Noise ' st 't is the Door I will before to give you timely Notice If ought approach bring her through the back Court 'T is most remote and safe Laet. Be gon I will Exit Peren. The Door opens the Empress and Portia enter with a Candle Laetus goes to ' em Empress O! Here 's the pious Priestess that conducts you To her and to the Gods I must commend you And if the Wishes of a Wretch like me Will ought avail may they convey you safe To him you love and make your Exile easie Por. Opinion is the God that makes us happy And where my Martian is I must be so Fâ—r he is Country Friends and all to me Laet. Madam this Light mâ—st out or back with you To the Empress Por. What in the Dark Laet. The Light will discoverâ—s The Moon 's kind Beams will do our business best Por. And will you gentle Virgin bring me safe Laet. To Vesta's Temple and from thence to Martiâ—â—u It is our Duty to assist th' unhappy Por. It were Impiety indeed to doubt The highest Holy Ministers of Heav'n Laet. Nothing but Fear and Noise and worse delay Can disappoint your Happiness Emp. Portia faâ—ewel may Heav'n reward thy Virtue Por. And yours the Emperor Exit with Laetus Emp. Oh! that he wou'd It is not in Heav'ns Pow'r to bless me more But I 'll go seek him out and with fresh Tears Melt his hard Heart dissolve it into Love And in the Flames that all my Bosome Fires Consume his wandring Wishes and Desires Exit at the Door and shuts it after her Enter Emperor with Attendants and Lights Emp It was not well to leave her in Despair I might have giv'n at least some doubtful Hope Pauses I swear her tender Love was strongly moving And she is fair by Heav'n yes wondrous fair And must be lov'd by all the World but me But I am doom'd to odd Fantastic Madness To doat on Pride and vain affected Virtue That spuâ—ns me from her and disdains my Love While I avoid the willing Charms that Court me But I will shake thy Chains off cruel Portia And in my Empress's downy Arms forget thee Why dost thou fix thy beauteous Hand upon me Tear out my Heart yet by the Gods I 'll leave thee Gentle Valeâ—ia in her Breast shall shield me From the imperious fury of thy Eyes Oh! Groans Like a poor Wretch upon his Feavourish Bed I toss and tumble turn from side to side And yet no easie posture can I find The raging Calenture still burns within Seems to muse Enter Perennius at a distance Por. Now Curses on ill Luck the Doors are fast Through which we shou'd have made our wish'd escape They must come this way back Ha! the Emperor Seeing him Studys Hell and Furys all 's lost what must be done Emp. Well I will to her dry her falling Tears Lock her within my burning Arms and swear Never to see her fatal Rival more Peren. It must be so this Laetus is unlucky His Head designs well but he has no Fortune And I still loose by vent'ring on his Bottom This Dagger as he enters shall secure me For yet this Secret is between us two And see they come Enter Laetus and Portia Laet. Dâ—spond not Madam all will yet be well Per. Ay when this Dagger has transfixt thy Heart Stabs him Laet. As he falls Ha! slain by thee Villain Dog but I deserve it Dyes Per. Aside Dye quickly then or else 't will do no good Hold Madam hold I must secure you For the Emperâ—r Lights there Portia Treason Portia is flying Aloud to Portia who shrieks at Laetus's fall and is running back Emp. Ha! what say'st thou That Sound has ruinâ—d all my best Resolves Runs to her Whither is she Flying whither and with whom Per. That Sir I can't yet tell but this will shew me Takes a Light and looks at Laetus Emp. Go instantly and seize the heedless Guards Per. O ye good Gods Sir if it ben't Religion That has conspir'd against your Happiness Seems to look moâ—e earnestly at Laetus with the Light kneeling down to the Body Emp. Throw her vile Body to the hungry Dogs Per. Ha! what is' t I see sure my Eyes must Err It is impossible it cannot be What Laetus my Friend Death to my Repose The honest Laetus slain by this curs'd Hand Was this the kind return of all thy Friendship This the best Gift Perennius cou'd bestow Emp. How 's this bemoan the Traytor in my hearing Per. Pardon me Emperor if I pay these Tears To one that lov'd me better than himself He was my Friend my faithful honest Friend At least I thought him so the best good Man The plainest open Virtue I e'er met with That and his zealous Love for you my Lord Won my Heart for I 've heard him swear He 'd dye a thousand Deaths for your least Pleasure But oh I find alas that he shou'd prove it The fairest Tongues oft hide the foulest Hearts And noisie Zeal conceals the Traytors ends Yet if he did dissemble Emp. If he did Why is' t not plain art not thou witness of it Per. 'T is true my Sov'raign and the Avenger too He from my Hand deserv'd to meet his Fate That durst impose upon my honest Nature And wrong the best of Masters and his Friend Per. Bless me Sâ—r a Man what is' t a Man Emp. A Man Madam yes a young handsom Man I find your boasted Virtue 's of a piece With that of all the rest of your frail Sex A cunning Blind to put off them you like not And to secure your sport with those you fancy Yet tell me foolish Fair how coud'st thou choose This groveling Vassal and refuse his Lord Per. O! base Valeria coud'st thou fall so low From all thy shining Virtue to Revenge So mean and so ungenerous as this Emp. Ha Valeria didst thou say the Empress Didst thou
not name Vaâ—eria speak Per. Yes and though I disdain thy poor Reflections Yet since my Honour claims the Truth I 'll speak It was the Empress that betray'd me to him With the false Hopes of flying to my Love I knew no other than his Habit promis'd Through a blind Door she led me to this place And with dissembl'd Pity took her leave Per. O! horrid Treachery that she cou'd do so Emp. Valeria this low sordid Deed has stifl'd All kind Designs of growing pity for thee And Portia's mightier Beauties now resume And fix their Empire in my Heart for ever Per. O Sir relaps not from such just Designs Howe'er the Empress meant to ruin me 'T was but the bad effect of too much Love You have no cause of anger at her Fault Since 't was for you only for you she did it Emp. Excuse her not she knew you Innocent And therefore I must hate detest and loath her Per. What have I done now Curses on my Tongue 'T was forg'd and false on purpose to abuse you Emp. That cannot be you knew not this by Door Come plead not for her nor against my Passion For I 'm all Fire all Wild and furious Love And by a Witchery most strange and odd I love and burn for what obstructs my Hopes Perennius take my Portia to thy charge The Morning's Dawn shall make her Beauties mine Mean while I will divorce me from Valeria And drive her out of the Imperial Pallace Per. O hear me Sir I beg you on my Knees Kneels Emp. I will not hear one word upon that Subject But fly to punish thy ignoble Wrongs Exit Per. Punish 'em on thy self then brutal Tyrant I have no Enemies no Wrongs but thee Thou art the hatred Source of all my Wrongs O! ye great Gods we 're taught that you are just Why sleeps your Thunder then why are your Bolts Spent upon Trees Mountains and idle Deserts And never reach this Butcher of Mankind This old Oppressor of Innocence and Virtue Let 'em reach him or me I care not which Per. Go fetch a Gaurd To the Servant left with him Por. But Heav'n is deaf as him to all my Prayers I will not bear 't O! but for Poysons Daggers Any kind ready way to fly to Death Per. Madam you spend your balmy Breath in vain He hears you not or if he did can't pity That wou'd destroy the Fund of all his Hopes I own I pity you and if I durst Por. What wou'dst thou do for 't is impossible A Minister of his shou'd e're do good Per. You 're too severe to censure all for him 'T is true my Fortune tyes me to him fast Nay I in Gratitude must own do love him Yet I approve not all his cruel Deeds No by the Gods my Soul is made so tender Each mournful Object melts it ev'n to Tears What Pains Diseases Racks cou'd ne'er wrest from me Behold your Suff'rinngs Madam now extort Seems to weep Por. 'T is wondrous strange how cou'dst thou ever please him Per. Princes like Fortune often blindly raise The Objects of their Power without thinking Por. And canst thou pity and not resolve Redress Per. Were I a God for this I 'd prize my Godhead That I cou'd help the Wretched without Danger But as â— am a Man the Empâ—ror's Slave I forfeit Wealth and Life by such a Deed. Por. Can generous pity dwell within your Breast And yet not dare to do a dangerous Good O! if you e're have felt the Pangs of Love And all the Longings of oppos'd Desire I do conjure you by your Hopes to free me Per. That Conjuration quâ—te disarms my Fears And fills my Heart with a most noble Daring For I do love and in that very manner Enter Guards But see the Guards I now must say no more Here conduct her to m' Appartment They carry her off This was a dexterous turn of my Wit That like the friendly Hand of some kind God Snatch'd me from off the very brink of Ruin And here has thrown the Prize into my Bosom Fortune has yet but blest my Hopes by halves Held out the glittering Cup of Joys brim full Then dash'd it on the Ground ev'n at my Lips But now I 'll hold the fickle Goddess fast Grasp bright Occasion by the formost lock And use the lucky hours she hast lent me Portia shall win me to her hop'd escape Till I have train'd her to the lonely Grotto That will drown all her Crys and Woman's Skreams And when I have reveng'd me on her Beauties With my best Jewels I will fly from Rome 'T is but the Scene of Pleasure to remove No Exile can be worse than hopeless Love Exit The End of the Third ACT. ACT IV. SCENE I. Vnder the Pallace Garden Wall Enter Martian in his own Habit. Mar. IWaited the Extent of all my Patience At Vesta's Temple for her promis'd Coming And yet she came not Night now wears apace 'T is not two Hours to Morn O! scanty Time For the important Business of my Life O! Sun yet rest within thy Wavy Bed And stop the fiery Steeds of hastning Day And thou O Night yet spread thy dusky Wings To lull Mankind from their injurious Cares There will be time enough for busie Men To ruin and supplant each others Fortune But ah for me for Virtue in Distress This only Night of all Times gloomy rowâ— Is left mark'd out for Safety I sent Cleander too to learn the Cause Of Portia's Stay and told him he shou'd find 〈◊〉 Impatient here beneath this Garden Wall How tedious is Delay to Men in Pain Enter Cleander from the Garden O! Art thou come Where does my Portia stay Is she alive Is she well Is she safe Answer with speed for in thy drooping Looks I read Disorder that almost distracts me Cle. She was Sir intercepted in her Flight Perennius guards her till the Morning And then she is to wed the Emperor Not one is suffer'd to come near th'Appartment The Empress too 's divorc'd and driven with Shame From Court ev'n now the Cause I cou'd not learn Mar. The Cause the Cause is wondrous plain Cleander But by the Gods he shall not have his Will While I have Life No were he guarded round With Hydra's flaming Chymera's blasting Furies And all the Terrors of his Native Hell Yet I wou'd through 'em force my horrid waâ— And with this Sword revenge my Love and Rome Is going Clean. Stay Sir and think stopping of him to certain Death you go Mar. Death What is Death Is Death to be avoided Why shou'd I shun that Sâ—bbath to my Labours That Boundary of Fortune's stormy Pow'r Death is the honest Friend that I wou'd find That flatters none but with an equal Foot Enters the Cottage and the gilded Pallace Clean. I fear not Death shou'd joy to dye with You Yet when Chance offers fair for your Relief ' Twou'd be meer Frenzy to thro' Life from us Mar What dost thou mean
What Hopes or what Relief Hast thou in View for I alas see none Clean. The Lodgings of Perennius face the Garden And from his Windows Portia may escape With ease there are no Guards on that Side The Garden Doors are open too through which I will with speed convey a Ladder to you Mar. Fly then fly quickly with a Lovers Haste Beneath those Windows thou wilt find thy Master Impatient of thy least Delay Be gone Exeunt severally the Scene opens into a Garden the Pallace at a distance Martian goes in at the Garden Door Enter Portia alone Por. I wou'd not stay for my Deliverer Cou'd I tell how to get from out this place For tho' with gen'rous Care he let me down Yet sure so near a Favourite of a Tyrant That 's only sway'd by Cruelty and Lust Must move by more ignoble Springs than Pity His Words too bore a dark and doubtful Meaning His Eyes at mention of Trust in him Sparkled with Fire while his mantling Blood Flush'd o're his Face he grasp'd me too with Ardor As on the Window he set me in the Chair Good Gods direct me in this dangerous Course Betwixt this Scylla and that wild Chaâ—ibdys On both Sides worse than Death and in the midst All is uncertain horrid Darkness all Hark! a Noise and this way it approaches A Noise I tremble at each Tree and Bush for fear It shou'd be some Court Villain Yet must on Perhaps from hence some Outlet I may find By wandring round O! grant ye Pow'rs I do For here is nought but Death or foul Dishonour Ex. Enter from the other side the Emperor Attendance Lights Music. Emp. That is the Window place your selves beneath it And charm my Goddess with your humble Lays The Force of Music and the Pow'r of Numbers May break the Icy spell that chills her Heart Against the pressing Beams of warmer Love Music and Song 1. IF Caelia you had Youth at Will And long cou'd â—oard the fleeting Treasure You might be Coy and Cruel still And yet a-while delay your Pleasure But your Youth is swiftly flying And your Charms will soon be dying And then you'â—â— use inviting Arts in vain Your Love will give no Ioys your Scorn will give no pain 2. The faded Lustre of your Eyes Will then alass no more surprize us When every Charm in Ruin lies Your Face and not your Will denies us Vse your Time then use the Blessing Lose no Hour without possessing For when the first tumultuous Bliss is past If leaves a grateful Ioy that will for ever last Enter Servants forcing in Portia Por. O Gentlemen if your Minds know pitty If you had Mothers that had any Virtue Force me not to the hated Tyrants Presence 1. Nay Madam you shall to the Emperor 2. Finding this Lady flying her speed we thought betray'd some guilt And therefore we have brought her to your Majesty Emp. You have done well O where is the base Slave That durst betray this high importunate Trust For I will plunge him in abhor'd Disgrace Por. Unlucky Maid still to undo thy Friend Emp. What froward Maxims Madam make you fly From Empire Glory and pursuing Love Por. Ah! Strange Excess of thy inhumane Rage That when thou 'st left me nothing but my Woe Wilt not permit me to enjoy ev'n that But dash the wretched Pleasure with thy â—ove Emp. Why so averse to Joy so fond of Sorrow Life is a curious Web by Nature wrought Fine to the Eye but torn by e'ry Chance You burst its tender Threads with Pond'rous Grief And shun the downy Pleasures it will bear Por. Pleasure from thee Emp. From me Yes by the Gods Soft flowing Pleasures of brisk Wit and Love Ingrateful Fair I wou'd disperse those Clouds That gather round thy Morning Sun of Life And thou with a false Pride dost spurn me from thee Por. Wer 't thou Victorious Brave as the first Caesar I cou'd not love but as thou art I loath thee More than the vilest Slave in thy poor Empire Emp. When Pow'r submits to beg it shou'd be so But Love impoâ—'d false-Med'cines for my Cure Thy Insolence now frees me from the Cheat. I 've not forgot I am thy Emperor That thou art made the Subject of my Pleasure Yes I will rush into thy struggling Arms In all the Rage of my Tempestuous Love And sieze the Joys by Force Iask'd in vain Embraces her Por. Aside O Gods defend me from the Tyrant's Lust I must against the Dictates of my Heart Sooth him with Hope to gain some Time for Help The surest Means to gain a Womans Heart Is to convince her that you truly love her Which I must doubt if you attempt my Honour Force is th' Effect of Fondness of your Eaâ—e That shuns the Pain of surer Arts to please Beauty is bought by tender Vows and Sighs You rob if you deny to pay its Price Emp. Have I not sigh'd breath'd a thousand Vows Yet nought have gain'd by all my Fru'tless Pain But haughty Slights Diâ—dain and vile Affronts Por. Consider Sir my Soul 's too full of Grief Suffers too much by an unhappy Love To taste another Passion yet give Time For in a little Time I may be free To view your Love with a more equal Eye Emp. My Love 's too fierce to brook the least Delay I will consume thy anxious Love in Mine Whose â—eamy Sunshine ne're can be obscâ—â—'d With rising Clouds of Sadneâ—s or Misfortune Here thou wilt find no Tears no Sighs but sâ—ch As fan the Aâ— and gently heave the Breasts With struggling-Pleasure and Excess of Joy Whispering Murmurs and Eteâ—nal Billing Our Coo's shall be more piercing than the Turtles I 'll clasp thee to me and I 'll twine about thee Closer then Ivy or the curling Vine We 'll mix like Waters till we lose Distinction Por. If all my Suffâ—rings cannot move your Heart Think upon Hell the Wheel and Rowling Stone Unheard of Woe that Fancy cannot paint A Tyrant's Hell too is the dismal Centre Where all the Lines of Circling Tortures meet Emp. Mistaken Fair here is the Hell you threat No Tantalus dreads the loose impending Rock No Tytius lies extended o'er the Plain The Eternal Food of Birds in Hell But here Vain Biggots Fears the Cares of busie Men And Lovers Pangs create the uneasie Torments But I will burst the Chain that holds me down And with resistless Fury scale my Heaven Embraces and offers to kiss and ruffle her Enter Martian Mar. The gloomy Night has put new Darkness on And led by some strange Fate I wander round And cannot find the well known Lodgings out Por. Stand off unhand me thou first-born of Hell Thou Blot of Nature thou Crime of Providence Thou Sum and Extract of all that is most loathsome Mar. Ha! my Portiâ— in the Hands of Ravishers Villain forbear my Love Martian draws and runs at the Emperor is intercepted by the Guards Emp. What! is it thou thou art a daring Rebel