bright to every eye and Lords And greatest persons of the Court are proud To say Urania favours them to wear The Title of her Servant as a Gem Too rich to be examin'd whence she came For her low Birth Madam this morning sprung First to our eyes from yonder barren hill And so will thousand Stars at night though this And they and she are lights from Heaven all Their rise is mean or noble only from Our situation so is hers You cast Your eyes upon her from the hight of Birth And fortune too and see her low whilst that Some other Princess Born as high but not Beneath so happy Stars beholds her through The thicker Medium of her Tears and thinks Her Birth more noble ' cause more free and less Subject to Fate that doth like Thunder oft O'erturn vast Oaks whilst Rue and Vervin stands Her Loves are free without which we may wear Fetters of gold but they are Fetters still And fit as hard as Iron though more rich Whilst many great folks are constrain'd to wed By Law and Policie and marry those Old Men in Council shall think fit who have So many years for gotten love and hate Now all but wealth and Empire ' cause themselves Have nothing else to boast of left Cleantha being not able longer to contain her self at this goes abruptly from Endym. to a Sun-Dial which stood not far from the walk where she lets fall some tears her back being towards Endymion and says with a low voice Cleantha Now thou art not fond Endymion saith Thou art unhappy And wilt thou say so And leave me so Endymion No my passion Is now Authoriz'd and I 'll speak She wipes her eyes My Lord Would you think it were so late already Endym Indeed Endym. Comes to the Dial. I cou'd not think it had been night so late But every part of Heaven hasts to see What it so loves and favours your bright self Cleant. Well my Lord I do not wonder much So great a Wit should thus maintain so great A Paradox since that in nothing less It can find its true exercise But say And tell me truly should I make 't my care To chuse a Mistress for you fair as Urania If thousands may be judges and as Vertuous Because she truely honours Vertue but Extracted from a Family would give Luster to yours although it were as mean As hers you court now say would you not leave Urania for her who doth seem to me To undervaule your respects Tell me my Lord. Endym. pauseth a while Madam should your highness condescend to chuse A Torment for me it were impudence In me to chuse ought else But that 's all blest Which is so like Urania Cleant. So like to her Vrania's body's fair but what 's that mind Which cannot apprehend the true contents Of being bound with sacred chaynes to him Who in her Closet and alone can be The whole world to her unto whom she may Bring all her doubts and tell her sorrows and Repeat her joyes and have his censure on them What is that minde which cannot value such True satisfactions more perchance then Crowns And Sceptres which is more then e'er Vrania Doth ever hope for sure Endym. Great Princess could I own Half those perfections I might happy be Without Vrania But Urania knows She may find thousands of more merit then The poor Endymion who durst never measure Himself but by the passion he had for her Cleant. Sure 't was his modesty He might have thriven Much better possibly had his ambition Been greater much They oft-times take more payns Who look for Pins then those who finde out Stars Endym. They do and are unfortunate But know Know highest Princess those may search for such Small things you 're pleas'd to name who only have A little candle of as small a value But those who seek out Stars must be provided VVith Arts and Glasses and such costly things As humble folkes must be content to want Cleant. Those coyer Stars indeed which so retire Their little eyes in Heavens vast Bosom do They say require those things you mention but For others of more magnitude you need Only to fix your eyes and they 'll appear By their own light and all you have to do Is to receive those Beams they cast upon you Endym. You cannot erre great Princess But 't is hard To fix our eyes aright upon that part Of Heaven where those Stars inhabit if VVe have not some directions first Cleant. Indeed Those who look downwards ought to be directed To look above them to the highest sphere For there the Stars are then I 'm apt to think Their task will not prove hard She blusheth My Lord I blush Thus to instruct you in Astronomy Endym. No wonder Madam if I 'm proud of what You blush at and esteem this my best knowledge VVhich your unbounded wit perhaps to morrow Will with much greater reason quite deny Clean. My Lord you think no woman's ever constant To what she saith a day but your Urania But till you 've try'd pray have more charity You 'll after have more Faith 'T is late my Lord You have oblig'd me with your company Exit Clean. Endym. sol VVhat meant this last discourse Heaven blest Heaven VVas 't not enough to lose my dear Urania Unless I also did adore the hand VVhich snatch'd her from me Cleantha love Endymion The great the pure Cleantha All my hopes In rich and holy Incense stifled are The worlds best light hath burnt my Phenix with A thousand Spices but Fool â— it cannot be Can brave Cleantha love the poor Endymion Cleantha pardon this wild thought forgive The proud Endymion Never may he know Thy noble breast harbour a thought so low Exit Endym Finis Act. 3. ACTUS 4. Enter Neander sol in a fury Neand. I Wonder who the Devil intends I shall marry with for marry I will by Heaven though the Match be made in Hell I have been a servant as they call it that is I have sworn and ly'd and spent money upon every Lady of Quality in the whole Court yet I am still so far from having a Wife among them all as the veryest Eunuch in the Great Turks Seraglio is from having a Child among all those wenches Indeed I never was in any probability unless in my own conceit of winning any one but the sweet Evadne and now that the Queen and her ugly Father should cross me should forbid her to speak to me to see me it is what I cannot I will not bear though Fate it selfe say I shall do it No I have been told that most old folks when the Wine of Love is worn our in them live some years by its Vinegar Spight and I will do the same I am resolved and that old gray Priest and his Mistress the Queen shall be my subjects And yet I am not ambitious to shew my valour so far as to be hang'd for it neither This if I
chance to be seen by any in their passage thither This he asserted with much violence and at last after much discourse the Priest was perswaded by him to attend the Queen there in the habit of a woman instead of Neander whose enterance he had promised to hinder by shutting the door he was to pass at to get into the garden and thus when the Queen should begin to speak to him as her Lover he should then make know himself unto her and do his duty in justly blaming her for so unvertuous an action King Where ends this Lordreads on This the Priest did And he was not sooner entred into the grotto but he found the Queen there before him But the Queen seeming to expect his speaking first and he not allowing his lips to be provided on this subject told her plainly that she was mistaken of her Lover that he was her Priest and then producing a little light he had concealed in a dark Lanthorn he manifested himself and perfectly discerned the Queen although in a disguise The Queen thinking her self bound to give an account of her being there and yet very loath to speak the cause of it at last told him that as her Confessor she would reveal unto him that the King had of late somewhat an immoderate respect for a young lass named Urania belonging to the Princess and that having forced a promise from the poor maid she did by the Lord Endymions means easily perswade her self for the securing of the Kings honour to supply the place of the said Vrania they having agree'd to have no lights and to speak very low which she accordingly had done for some nights before and with such success that the King returned rather satisfied in his reason then his Love King All truth Lord reads on But having re-assumed his desires she had again this night a summons to the same taske from a woman of hers nam'd Phronesia which was the occasion of her being in that place But all this she did very passionately desire the Priest to be secret in in that it concerned so neerly the Kings honour King And what then Lord. On this we immediately sent for Geron who after many threats confess'd as followeth That the Lord Neander being crossed in his love to Evadne Daughter to the Priest by the Queen and Priest her Father was resolved on a revenge for them both and by removing them out of the way to accomplish his design of marrying Evadne To this end he promiseth to Geron great rewards for the contrivance of the business wo accidentally by his sculking up and down in every corner to watch his wife Phronesia of whom he is very jealous over-heard the agreement between Urania and Endymion concerning the Queens supplying her place in the Grotto On this foundation he founds the whole fabrick of his hellish plot For sending his wife Phronesia who having been horribly abused by him was willing notwithstanding to purchase his respect at any rate whatever unto the Queen as from Urania only with these words in her mouth That she humbly desired her Majesty to think of her royal promise at eleven of the clock that night and of the King as she had been pleased to do some few nights before the Queen he knew would on this resolve to be at that time in the Grotto After which he goes himself to the Priest and counts to him what is before repeated in the Priests confession And in the last place he had the impudence to come to your Majesty and tell you what your Majesty was pleased to inform us of And all this Neander and he were resolved to outface with oaths in case it should ever come to be examined for they supposed it probable that your Majesty would in fury have killed both the Queen and Priest on the place which was the reason for which Geron perswaded your Majesty to have Pistols or a Stilletto with you King Wicked Villains Lord. After this we sent for Neander who amaz'd at his condition confessed the whole business in the same manner As also Phronesia what Geron affirmed concerning her King Blest Heaven how are thy wayes just like thy orbs Involv'd within each other yet still we finde Thy judgments are like Comets that do blaze Affright but dye withall whilst that thy mercies Are like the Stars who oft-times are obscured But still remain the same behinde the clouds Pyrrh May all your doubts and fears thus terminate Lord. Thus are you shaken to be more confirm'd King Pyrrhus send for Urania she shall wear This day the just rewards of Vertue I Will visit my brave Queen who rather chose To die unjustly as a Criminal Then that her Lord should justly so be term'd For which I will proclaim my fault since she Will have the glory of concealing it Exit Pyrrhus Lord. Heaven bless your Majesty King My Lord. I 'd have the Councel with all speed remove Into the Hall where before all the Court I 'll bring my Queen in triumph there to hear Her base accusers sentenc'd Lord. It shall be done Exeunt King and Lord. Enter Evadne weeping Evad. Alas Evadne miserable Maid Why didst thou ever begg to leave thy cell Where thou didst never injure any one To see this place and here in some few weeks To do more mischief then whole Generations Can parallel Unfortunate Evadne It had been better thou hadst ever dwelt In those retirements where small sins seem great And great Devotions small where folks make conscience To taste of any thing that ever bled Then to be found there where the blood of Queens And Priests are sacrifices to the Malice Of wicked Men. It this to be at Court Ah poor poor Girl How hath thy Ignorance Deluded thee And 't was but just that she Who did begin to disobey her father Until he gave her new commands should be Punish'd by that which tempted her It is Enough she 's innocent although she prove Unfortunate Whatever Neander did Heaven knows I never knew Yet I much doubt I 'm somewhat guilty ' cause 't was for my sake Exit Evadne Enter the Lords of the Councel and seat themselves Enter a guard of Souldier with Neander Geron and Phronesia who are placed at the Bar as Prisoners to receive sentence Enter Musick then the King leading his Queen crown'd and in royal apparel after them the Priest They place themselves on high in the middle of the Councel and the Priest somewhat lower next the King Then this Song is sung Thus from the Prison to the Throne Vertue comes to claime her own And now appears Upon that Throne a Star Who lately at the Bar Stood only Jewel'd with her Tears 1. Great Queen 2. Great Queen Chorus Whoever was so well content To suffer and be innocent To suffer and be innocent Exit Musick Enter Gentleman leading Urania King The fair Vrania Madam I must this day Turns to the Queen Do honour to this Virgin And since it 's To
Arcadia he In doing so would make her full as great As I should be Ambitious Rivers whilst They needs will strive to joyn with greater Floods Do adde indeed to them but lose themselves Whilst those that court some smaller Brook at once Encrease their Waters and preserve their Names Pri. Mâ—dam you will do well to heed that whilst You seek t' encrease your Waters you do not Encrease your Years too Mighty Floods you know Glide smooth yet bear down all whilst little Brooks Murmure at Pebles in their way and have Their courses oft obstructed And Madam what What is a Name to the unfortunate What is a Name to those whose Names must live But in their Epitaph if you do wed A Prince the faire Cleantha will adorn His Chronicle and that in recompence Will make that Name immortall as her Merit But if you will in common Chanels run Poor neighbour-Towns may know your Name but Mapps Will heed you not And then the brave Cleantha Will set with her own face and th' injut'd world Shall lose her best Example to those Ages Are yet to come and thus Cleantha will Undoe her self and all Posterity Cleanth You almost do undoe my reason with Your language Sir But you well know Sir should I by each action of my life endeavour To be forgotten in all Chronicle And leave it in my Will to have my Name Ne'er mention'd more this very Will of mine Would live to all Posterity Comets As soon may unobserved pass among Astrologers as any Princess can Among Historians But alas Sir what What 's my Remembrance when I am dead To be compar'd to the Contents of Life Shall I be wretched all the day because I 'd have folks talk of me when I 'm asleep What is it if it be hereafter said Cleantha was the Queen of Macedon When poor Cleantha's but a little earth If I love nothing but Endymion Nothing but him can make me happy Sir And if I love nothing in him but his Vertue And his brave Soul and can be well content To lose a Crown and Title of a Queen To sind those better treasures though I stoop To take them up 't will be more glory and Eternity unto my Name then if Like petty Countrey folks I do dispense With Love for my convenience and wed What I may chance to like in time with help Of some good Counsel and Necessity This Sir will be an act will give my Name An honourable mention in the mouthes Of Priests and holy folks as oft as they Instruct men that the Gods sometimes reward Vertue in this world or that Vertue is To be preferr'd before a Crown or Scepter For then it will be said Endymion's vertue Won him a Princess and Cleantha did Esteem a brave Endymion much above A Prince and Diadem And thus my Greatness At once shall make it self more great and serve T' embalm the bravest person in the world And make him like my self immortal too For whist men write Cleantha's Story since Like her it will be nought without Endymion The brave Endymion must be mentioned too That else perchance might have been numbred ' monstg Those precious things whose loss the world bewails And thus I shall oblige Posterity More in Endymion then my self and shall Give like a Goddess immortality To what was mortall in it self and had Dy'd but for me This Sir I onely say To answer your objection and I name Endymion ' cause you nam'd him as I did The Rose and Violet when you were pleas'd To instance in them Priest Heaven would it were but so Madam as errour ne'er can be more happy Then in your mouth nor more secure who give It so much beauty with your language and Strength with your Wit so can it never be More dangerous And therefore pardon me If I no longer do occasion you To shew th' omnipotency of your wit In almost making Errour Truth and tell you What 's surely true Madam I have not thus Presum'd to interrupt this your Retirement I found you in on any confidence Meerly my own but onely in obedience Unto the King's Command your Royall Unkle Who understands howe'er you little think it You love Endymion Heaven would not conceall So great an ill from him who may prevent it And hath commanded me to use my best Endeavours to disswade you from an action So much beneath your self and contrary To his desires who with so dear affection Hath ever treated you And now refus'd To speak to you himself lest that his passion Should move too violent ' gainst what he hates And disoblige what he so dearly loves To this so true and tender a regard Of this your Royal Unkle Madam what Regardfull answer will you now command Me to return him She rests a while Clean. Sir I cannot tell What way the King should know what you affirm Since I ne'er said so much to any person I dare not think you would betray me Sir That were profane But if you must indeed Return some answer to the King be pleas'd To tell him As I ever yet have been Obedient to him as my Unkle so I still do think my self oblig'd to be Supposing as he hath not hitherto His Goodness never will command cut what Shall be within my power t' obey him in Pri. Madam this answer hath much Latitude Clean. It promiseth Sir all I can You will not Have me to promise more I hope Priest But is it In your Highness power to love the Prince Of Macedon and not to love Endymion Clean. I think Sir Love's as much within my power As 't is in any other body's Pri. Madam I must intreat your Highness for an answer A little more direct unto the question You 'l pardon me I hope I 'm to deliver It to a King Clean. And to receive it from A Princesse and a Maid Pri. Madam I shall Be loath to tell the King you love the Lord Endymion And may be you 'll be sorry To see him banisht to some distant Isle There to bewail his own perfections that He ' th pleas'd too much and wish a thousand times You had not thus undone him with your love Injure not Madam thus a Lord who else May number many happy daies and live An honour to his Countrey and grow old And die among his Kindred and his Friends Clean. Sir this would be strange justice that my Love Should be Endymion's Crime Priest 'T will prove so Madam Clean. He may be sufferer but not criminall And Heaven will do justice when men do not She being ready to cry fetcheth a sigh and goes as towards her appartment Pri. Your humble servant Madam Ex. Priest Cleantha perceiving the Priest gone giveth way to her tears and remains still speaking thus to her selfe Clean. Wretched Cleantha Is thy Love a Crime A crime to him thou lov'st Must it be ruine Unto a person if thou but affect'st him Have I some plague that I must thus destroy Whom I
sooner shall Forget that I have eyes forget I have A memory Shall brave Endymion dwell In banishment for me and I forget him Sure thou wouldst minde me of him if I should Nource Well Madam I wish your Highness do not remember him too much I am glad you are alive yet for my part now he 's gone Cleant. Indeed I speak and do the offices Of life as yet But say say my dear Nource Did'st never see a Tree cut down in spring A while put forth his buds and leaves as if He 'd been a live until that sap was spent Which he had suck'd from his life-giving Root And then he wither'd Enter King and Queen King How do you Neece Queen VVe are come to visit you in the absence of your Lover Cleant. Your Majesties do always do me honour Queen Indeed Neece you ought to thank those who do you honour when you forget to do it to your self King Cleantha you are not too much discontented I hope at Endymions departure You are too wise to be so Cleant. Sir whatever my troubles are as they are my own so I shall endeavour not to make them any other bodies King Neece you ought to look to the justice of the action and so be satisfied Cleant. Indeed there 's little of mercy in it to be seen King VVell Neece I shall not dispute the business over with you again The Priest the Queen and my self have done it already at large and you seem to be resolved not to be satisfied with any thing but your own unreasonable desires The action I have done is just I thought it so and I have done it and will continue it and you must be patient Cleant. Your Majesty may please to know that I shall have so much regard to my self as not to permit my impatience to be troublesome to other folks Exit King Queen Come Cleantha prethee be not sad The Prince of Macedon will make a better Husband then Endymion Cleant. It may be so And some one else will make a better wife For him then I shall do Enter Phrones Queen VVhat newes with you Phronesia Phrones Only a word or two that doth a little Import your Majesty to know Queen I 'm going wench Cleantha fare you well I hope I shall Next finde your Melancholy less Exeunt Queen and Phrones Cleant. VVhy should they call it melancholy Nource Love is not melancholy this is cold But that a burning flame this dry and that All tears But why this wonder I sit strange that such Are ignorant of Love who never knew it VVho wedded are indeed but not because Their souls were equal but their fortunes not That they themselves but Parents did agree And think they that Cleantha'll do so too Is she so small a needy Girl to chuse A servant for advantage and to love him Until next our Commissioners disagree And then to be indifferent again And never give account of her affections Till she've enquir'd first how the Chaffer goes No my dear Nource I better understand My present freedom that true Monarchy I 'm to my self then on indifferent Parly To yeeld my self a cowardly Captive If I fall 't shall be by storm nor will I be Conquer'd by ought less then a Deity To add unto thy triumphs Love 's no more Then that which Goddesses have done before And this Cleantha may not blush to do Although a Princess and a Virgin too Nource Madam you are too wise why should you not contented be to do like all the world Cleant. I ne'er examine Nource what most folks do But what all should do and those few do practise Whose real Vertue never blush't to be Brought to the test of reason I can pardon Poor silly Lasses that believe their Granams Who tell them 't is a sin to intermix With those beneath them as though the rich and poor Were different species whose Sunburnt modesties Can well dispence with th' loss of that pure state Nature had plac'd them in for the advantage Of some convenient neighbourhood but still I 've no forgiveness for my self should I Grown now a woman and endue'd with reason Play with those Puppet-Vertues old folks give me And understanding my own whiteness ere Dissolve that Snow but by a flame as pure Nource VVell Madam I cannot dispute it with you But sure I am I should ne'er have got a husband on these Philosophical tearms It is well for me I was not so wise at your age Cleant. smiles Why Madam when I had loved any one as that was no very hard matter for me to do when I was young it had been ten to one if he had lov'd me again and there I had been gone Or if he had lov'd me then his friends would not have liked it and there I had been gone Or if his friends had then mine would have found some fault or other and still I had been gone Madam there is so much to do to bring two young folks together that have any thing in the world that should they refuse marriage on any tearms old maidens would be as plenty as Crabs are in America Cleant. Prethee Nource no more Nource Nay I was resolv'd to put you out of your dump you would have cry'd presently if I would have let you But have you gi'en Vrania leave to be wanting Cleant. Yes she asked me to be a day or two with her Mother somewhere here in Town Nource She look'd but ill when she went I thought she had gone on some discontent Cleant. I know none She went hence two days since I think Nource Then she should be return'd again Cleant. She may take her own time Come shall we go Nource Exeunt Cleantha and Nource Enter the King and Pyrrhus King Is' t possible It cannot be My Queen My Queen an Adulteress and with My Priest too Could Heaven not punish me But by it's representative In what can men Confide if sanctity and holy vows Are nothing Pyrrh I am amaz'd The Queen And Priest in womans Cloaths strange circumstance To meet i' th' Grotto now this night sure 't is Impossible King It must be so unless This Geron be quite mad who 's now secur'd And is content to die for 't if I see not My self with my own eyes all this this night Pyrrh Heaven bless me King Ah my Pyrrhus Heaven is just 'T is we are wicked In this very Grotto I met Urania and forgot my Queen Though then I thought her faithful and almost VVhite as Virginity itself Pyrrh 'T is certain But Heaven grant this metting prove no worse Then that did King Blest Heaven grant it may not Pyrrh Your Majesty may yet prevent it King I may For this time doubtless But I will not harbour That Devil Jealousie within my breast For all this world can give me I 'm resolv'd To see the certainly my self And if It prove untrue my Queen shall dwell with freedom As she hath ever done in all my thoughts And her
noble natures a more pleasing taske To give rewards to Vertue then punishments To wicked folks I 'll in the first place shew How lovely justice looks when we are good And only sin makes her seem terrible Urania approach us Gentlem. Ah great King Vrania's place I doubt will nearer be The Bar then Throne King What mean'st thou Gent. See O see Those cheeks that lately beauty wore now pale With guilt Urania weeps King Her crime Gent. She'th lately had a childe King How know you this Gent. By a strange piece of chance For being sent in haste by my Lord Pyrrhus To bring herto you Majesty by chance I learnt of one o' th' servants of the Princess Near to what place he thought she was and when I made enquiry there at a small house I was acquinted at the woman told me She thought her I enquir'd for was i' th' house And asking of me many circumstances She told me surely it must be the same Only she did in private add she took her Not for a Virgin And as we thus discours'd Urania chanc'd to pass before the door A Virgin said I It may be she is married What hath she had a childe she told me Yes Though much in private but 't was very much Before her time and she affirms she 's married As did her mother who this morning left her At this I went in where I saw her enter And after some examinations she Confest she 'd had a childe but said withall She had a husband too and one who would Dare own her for his wife but would not tell me His name or dwelling and was very loath To move a foot with me but meerly by Constraint as ' t were King And is this truth Urania Lord. Speak to the King Urania It 's true King And who 's your Husband 2. Lord. Be not asham'd to name your Husband Madam 'T will be your shame if you name none Urania I 'm not Asham'd to name him but affraid King What is it Speak Vrania I dare not disobey and by my Lord I am authorized to name him when My Honour shall be question'd who 's more tender Of that then of his own Lord. Name him Urania It is The great Theander Queen The Prince King What are you marri'd Unto the Prince Theander Kneels Urania O pardon me great King That I refus'd not to be taken from A Cottage to the bosom of a Prince On such conditions as we dar'd to call The Gods to witness King Whether she be his wife Or only dare's affirm it though she were More to me then my hands or eyes she should Die ere I sleep The Prince in some few houres Will be in Town If what she says be false This news shall be his welcone But if true 'T is fit his coming be too late to save her Vran. Ah great Prince Pity the distress'd who hath No friend to plead her cause All I affirm Is truth Theander is my witness See Takes a letter out of her bosom That noble name This I receiv'd from him Not three days since King reads it and gives it the Queen King 'T is so But know Urania My Crown will prove too heavie for your off-spring Nor may I mingle blood with those small folks Who dwell in Cottages Heaven it seems Would not permit so foul a stain upon My Family but hath condemn'd to death What men in justice could not that poor infant VVhose only guilt was that it must be born No know Unania 't is enough you have been VVife to a Prince some months you 've liv'd enough In that small time Now 't will behove you to Prepare for death this day within three houres You are to loose your head ' cause 't is not fit To wear a Crown Marshal take her hence Let all things be prepar'd I 'll see her dead By two this afternoon Vran. Is there no mercy then Heaven help the friendless Such must never cry To men for help whose crime is poverty Exeunt Marshal and Vrania King My Lords had not this accident befallen me I 'd been too blest VVise Heaven doth see 't as fit In all our joys to give us some allays As in our sorrow comforts when our Sails Are fill'd with happiest winds then we most need Some heaviness to ballast us These are The ways of Heaven and we who are but earth Must all submit I am afflicted for The poor Vrania But the Gods have sure In death rewards for those who sometimes fall Nor for their crimes but through a kind of sad Necessity I 'm to proceed now to A far more willing task the sentencing Of those most wicked persons at the Bar. Neander I condemn to loose his head Tomorrow morning which I will have plac'd Over his Lodgings to shew those heads who dare Contrive their Princes harm do only meet VVith such advancement Geron I adjudge To die in Chayns that bunger may devour That little body malice yet hath left him A proper Lent for such a sinner And ' Cause what Phronesia did she did not know She ly'd but did not know the consequence Her I condemn only to banishment And thus I hope to expiate the thoughts I 've had of my chaste Queen and holy Priest Through those mens wickedness and teach the world That such who dare be traytors to their King Do on themselves the certain'st ruine bring Omnes Heaven bless the King and may our eyes still see Such Justice done on all that traytors be Exeunt Omnes Enter Cleantha and her Nource Cleantha Alas Vrania Now thou hast unriddl'd How thou couldst understand and yet accept not Endymions Love Poor Heart I pity thee Endymion now will be more banish'd when He hears Vraaia's dead Ah Urania VVould thou hadst a crime to die for that My just Endymion might less bewail thee VVhere can he now relieve himself If Vertue Be not security who can be safe Nource VVhy Madam here was now a marriage made According to your Highness principles Purely for Love without consideration Of Portion or equality or friends And here you see the end on 't Cleanth Silly woman Talk not so Idly Had they understood The force of Love who thus condemn'd Urania They ne'er had done it And shall we disesteem Religion ' cause folks often suffer for 't And think it is not true because 't hath Martyrs Wert thou not old thou mightst be brought to know There is a Gust in death when 't is for love That 's more then all that 's taste in all the world For the true measure of true love is death And what falls short of this was never love And therefore when those Tides do meet and strive And both swell high but love is highest still This is the truest satisfaction of The perfectst love For here it sees it self Indure the highest Test and then it feels The sum of delectation since it now Attains its perfect end and shews its object By one intense Act all
it's Verity VVhich by a thousand and ten thousand words It would have took a poor diluted pleasure To have imperfectly exprest Aside Nource Heaven bless me I do not wonder Lovers oft run Maz'd That think at this strange rate 'T will crack my skull To hear it longer Madam will you not see The execution Cleant. Not for ten thousand VVorlds Nource It is at hand Cleant. Poor Urania I Can find no friends on earth to help thee now I will address my self to Heaven for thee VVho only can reprieve what Great-folks have Condemn'd to Ruine and 's the sole defence Through all the world unto weak-innocence Exeunt Cleantha and Nource There appears a Scaffold covered with black with many Spectators about it The King is present himself to see the Execution done before the Prince his arrival which was at hand Enter Urania in Black weeping led by two of the Princess's Servants in Black King Poor heart did I not fear the Prince's coming I would not see so sad a spectacle But I 'll retire a little I 'd have her live As long 's she may Urania casts her eyes on the Executioner Sheriff Retire 'till you are call'd to do your office Exit Executioner The Two Gentlemen who attend her conduct her to the Rayls of the Scaffold where having wip'd her eyes she speaks thus to the People Vran. Did any thing but my own innocence Lie now at stake which now is all I 've left To comfort me I should not dare to speak Before so many Persons But though I Must quire despair of Mercy in this world I hope I may find Charity and that Good folks will credit a poor dying Person Although she bring no witness but her vows All I am now condemn'd for is my Birth That I was meanly born which seems indeed A Punishment but not a Crime or if It were I could not help it sure for this I 'm doom'd to suffer and my poverty Must be reliev'd with death But though I can Find no forgiveness in the world I 'm glad I find it in my self I freely can Forgive who e'er have injurâ—d me if any Have done so for I cannot tell and this Is some ease to me though perchance the living Do little heed the pardons of the dead I do not know I ever hurted any But if I have I hope they will forgive me Only my Lord Endymion I did once Delude to save my life would Heaven I had not But he is merciful to others though He'th met with little for himself I do Confess I 'm marri'd to the Prince But he He sure will witness for me 't was the Effect Of his own choyce I never did presume To think it ere he told me 't should be so Since when how faithful I have been unto him VVitness O'Heaven and those powers who know The thoughts of every one and only dare To quit whom Kings condemn And though I must For this now suffer death I cannot wish It never had been so because it was The Prince his pleasure whom to contradict VVere more then death to me And yet I feel That death is bitter 'T is an enemy Looks cruelly on those who have no friends To speak a little comfort to them 'T is hard To undergo the greatest Task alone But 't is my Fate and Heaven must be obey'd VVhose ways although they seem obscure to men Are known unto it self whole eyes increase VVith it's own dark ness still And 't were not hard Now men have jud'd me thus unfit to live VVould Heaven assure me I am fit to die 'T is a long Hazard that folks run in death And a short warning rather doth disturb Then fit those for it whose poor judgments ne'er Judge well but when they doubt themselves Wer 't not For this I could be well content though young To find that Quiet in a Grave I 've mist Among the living and close up those eyes That have of late beheld so little pleasure And that must see the brave Theander blam'd For his unworthy choyce his judgment question'd VVhich were a living death not to be bought VVith all this world can give But I too long Detain you with complaints whose business is To see me die Live happy brave Theander May all thy sorrows die with thy Vrania And all those joys live with thee which she took In thy contents May'st thou be Happy in A princess Great as thy own Merits Bright As thy own eyes and Vertuous as Are all thy Thoughts and may she honour thee As truly as thy poor Vrania did Enter Executioner She weeps Execut. Are you ready Madam Uran. VVho is this Sir Gent. Madam Vran. VVho is it Sir Gent. Madam It is your destiny Uran. Is this he Sir can you instruct me what I am to do I never yet saw any body die Gent. You must kneel down Vran. How will he strike Gent. VVith all the mercy that he can Execut. Madam when You 've ended all you have to say be pleas'd To kneel Your face that way And give some sign When I shall strike Vran. Pray Sirs be near me VVhen I do fall I cannot tell what postures Death may allow of Gent. You have our promise Madam Vran. And when I 'm dead pray Sirs pray Sirs permit None but my Mother fit me for my Grave She will be careful of me she will pay Holy Devotions for me and bedew With pious tears that Face she still hath lov'd And may blest Heaven give comfort in her sorrows And all those Stars which have been hard to me Be merciful to her May my Misfortune VVork on her only a more true content In the low Sphere she so securely moves in Blest Heaven assist me Sirs farewell Present My humble Service to my noble Princess With thanks for all her favours in my Life And charity in death The gods reward Your mercy Gentlemen Blest Heaven assist me She kneels and the Executioner bares her neck Uran. Pray expect the sign Execut. I shall Enter in haste Parthenia Urania's Mother Parth. Stay stay the fatal blow The King hearing the noyse comes forth King VVhat 's this Parth. A miserable Mother come to save Her only Childe King Executioner do your office Quick Parth. Great King Dread Soveraign hear Hear a distressed Mother Hear for their sakes That at your death must hear you King What will you say Parth. My Childe is innocent King Do your office Executioner Parth. O! stay stay Great King Vrania is A Princess born Her father was a King King What say you Parth. Vrania's father was a King Great but unfortunate The King of Thrace King It is not possible The King of Thrace And what are you Parth. Great King I 'm now your Subject My name Parthenia and my habitation A little Cottage But I once was known By th' name of Cleopatra great in Brith But greater in misfortune and was wife To Pyrocles the Vertuous Prince of Thrace Of whom all that remains besides
your Vrania I shall be thankful for the honour you Too early do vouchsafe me Theand. I must obey What Heaven knows when I shall understand Salutes Cleopatra This is an earlier tribute then I thought Embraceth Urania who cries on him To pay yourlips My dear Urania why Dost thou conspire to my distraction Why This Black And why these tears King Heaven bless you both And may your Loves encrease still with your days May you be fresh as spring as Autumn fruitful And know no Winter of adversity And Heaven that hath done wonders in your Loves May it do wonders in th' effects of it They both bow to the King and then step a little aside and talk together Enter Priest Priest A day full of wonders King Aday All miracle How merciful is Heaven To those it loves Who would be ever Bad When Vertuous folks are thus rewarded in The midst of their distress The Prince returns to the company again Theand. Cozen Salutes the Princess Your pardon Happy is this meeting I am oblig'd for all the joy I see Bows to the company Start out of sorrow now at my return Cleant. Heaven give you joy of your Urania Theand. You have oblig'd me Madam that you have Dealt still so gently with your servant Cleant. She ne'er Had been esteemed so had you esteem'd Me worthy of your Councel Sir but now I shall indeavour to repay her all Those services I have receiv'd from her Theand. She 's still your servant Cozen. Cleant. Aside How can there be such mirth when brave Lives sadly in an unjust banishment Endymion Theand. I long to ease my wonder and to know The story of great Cleopatra how She'th been so long obscur'd to all the world But to her self King We 'll find a scene for that Less like the face of sorrow 'T is enough Urania is a Princess and had Fortune In ought but in her blindness been like justice Had worn the Crown of Thrace Only my Daughter My dear Urania ask me on this place I so have injur'd thee what I shall do To expiate my ignorance of thy worth Ask what thou wilt I shall not find a tongue To give thee a denyal Vran. Great Prince I do not Want a request had I but merit to Deserve it first then confidence to ask it King Ask it or you chuse the perfect'st way To disoblige me What is it Uran. It is Endymions Liberty 'T was by his goodness I liv'd to see this day whose only Cloud Is his confinement Pardon the boldness Sir You 're pleas'd to give me and the gratitude I hope the Gods will never take from me King You have my word do with it what you please Endymion shall have his liberty I shall give order for it Theand. Your pardon Sir If your commands already are obey'd Endymion is return'd I met him ere He was imbarq'd and having been inform'd From my Urania all his cares for her I stay'd him hoping from your goodness to Obtain his pardon For the love Cleantha So truly bears him I have no more to say Against it then against my own I bare To my Urania when I thought her less And since the Gods have made her great for me 'T will be but gratitude in me to do Some of their business for them and reward So brave a Vertue as Endymion owns And make him great for his Cleantha too Especially since by their goodness I Have power to do it The war in Thessaly Hath found a happy end And there I 've left Those hands which made that Scepter stoop who now Want but a scoene to do new wonders in And this may prove rebellious Thrace if you Dread Sir approve it fit I wear that Crown Vrania gives me In this expedition And in this conquest too the brave Endymion Shall be my second What shall I not expect from Such Vertue and such Valour when they meet King I have of late receiv'd such mercies that I cannot think of any thing which looks Like cruelty And in my condemnations Heaven hath done miracles to keep me from Horrid injustice Therefore wonder not All that you ask is so soon granted you Cleantha take then thy Endymion be More blest in him then greatness e'er could make thee Cleantha bows Queen And now you 're doing works of mercy Sir Hear one intreaty more not for their sakes For whom I ask but for this days sake which Hath been a day of mercy to us all Let not Neander nor old Geron die A banishment for life will more prepare Them for their deaths and thus your mercy shall Best fit them for the mercy of the Gods King What you propose hath much of piety And mercy too the works of this day and Mayn't be deni'd And now I 've one request To you my honour'd Priest because I 'd give Joy to all honest hearts this day your leave That Pyrrhus my best confident may serve The fair Evadne Priest Great Prince I am oblig'd My poor Evadne is so much your care It shall be mine she still shall think that best Your majesty is pleas'd to chuse for her Enter Endymion Theand. Endymion Why so slowly to thy joys Reap here the fruits of gratitude and mercy And see those Stars again thou dost adore Takes him by the hand and leads him to Cleantha who kneels down and kisseth her hand Cleant. VVelcome my Lord. Queen My Lord you 're welcome from your banishment King You 've only now this Ladies leave to ask For any thing you 'd have Endym. I 'm happy in Your royal mercy Sir and hope in time To be so too in hers King You need not fear Your sentence when Cleantha is your judge But let us all away and satisfie Our selves with what we 've so long travell'd with And let the world learn from this story though Heaven may a while correct the Vertuous Yet will it wipe their eyes again and make Their Faces whiter with their tears Innocence Conceal'd is the stolen-pleasure of the Gods VVhich never ends in shame as that of men Doth oft-times do but like the Sun breaks forth VVhen it hath gratifi'd another world And to our unexpecting eyes appears More Glorious through it's late obscurity Priest Unvertuous folks a while may find some Rest But in the end the good are only blest Exeunt Omn. FINIS