of the King to seize Solym. To all his former Issue she has shown Long hate and labour'd to advance her own Ab. These Troops are his Surat he took and thence preventing Fame By quick and painful Marches hither came Since his approach he to his Mother sent And two long hours in close debate were spent Arim. I 'll to my Charge the Cittadel repair And show my duty by my timely care To them the Emperor with a Letter in his hand after him an Ambassador with a Train following Asaph But see the Emperor a fiery red His Brows and glowing Temples does o'r-spread Morat has some displeasing Message sent Amb. Do not great Sir misconstrue his intent Nor call Rebellion what was prudent care To guard himself by necessary War While he believ'd you living he obey'd His Governments but as your Vice-Roy sway'd But when he thought you gone T' augment the number of the Bless'd above He deem'd 'em Legacies of Royal love Nor arm'd his Brothers Portions to invade But to defend the present you had made Emp. By frequent Messages and strict Commands He knew my pleasure to discharge his Bands Proof of my life my Royal Signet made Yet still hearm'd came on and disobey'd Amb. He thought the Mandat forg'd your death conceal'd And but delay'd till truth should be reveal'd Emp. News of my death from Rumor he receiv'd And what he wish'd he easily believ'd But long demurr'd though from my hand he knew I liv'd so loath he was to think it true Since he pleads ignorance to that command Now let him show his duty and disband Amb. His Honour Sir will suffer in the Cause He yields his Arms unjust if he withdraws And begs his Loyalty may be declar'd By owning those he leads to be your guard Emp. I in my self have all the Guard I need Bid the presumptuous Boy draw off with speed If his audacious Troops one hour remain My Cannon from the Fort shall scour the Plain Amb. Since you deny him entrance he demands His Wife whom cruelly you hold in Bands Her if unjustly you from him detain He justly will by force of Arms regain Emp. O'r him and his a right from Heav'n I have Subject and Son he 's doubly born my Slave But whatsoe'r his own demerits are Tell him I shall not make on Women War And yet I 'll do her Innocence the grace To keep her here as in the safer place But thou who dar'st this bold defiance bring May'st feel the rage of an offended King Hence from my sight without the least reply One word nay one look more and thou shalt die Exit Ambassador Re-enter Arimant Arim. May Heav'n great Monarch still augment your bliss With length of days and every day like this For from the Banks of Gemna news is brought Your Army has a bloudy Battel fought Darah from Loyal Aureng-Zebe is fled And fourty thousand of his Men lie dead To Sujah next your conquering Army drew Him they surpris'd and easily o'r-threw Emp. 'T is well Arim. But well what more could at your wish be done Than two such Conquests gain'd by such a Son Your pardon mighty Sir You seem not high enough your Joys to rate You stand indebted a vast sum to Fate And should large thanks for the great Blessing pay Emp. My fortune owes me greater every day And should my joy more high for this appear It would have argu'd me before of fear How is Heav'n kind where I have nothing won And Fortune onely pays me with my own Arim. Great Aureng-Zebe did duteous care express And durst not push too far his good success But lest Morat the City should attack Commanded his victorious Army back Which left to march as swiftly as they may Himself comes first and will be here this day Before a close-form'd Siege shut up his way Emp. Prevent his purpose hence hence with all thy speed Stop him his entrance to the Town forbid Arim. How Sir your Loyal your Victorious Son Emp. Him would I more than all the Rebels shun Arim. Whom with your pow'r and fortune Sir you trust Now to suspect is vain as 't is unjust He comes not with a Train to move your fear But trusts himself to be a pris'ner here You knew him brave you know him faithful now He aims at Fame but Fame from serving you 'T is said Ambition in his breast does rage Who would not be the Hero of an Age All grant him prudent prudence interest weighs And interest bids him seek your love and praise I know you grateful When he march'd from hence You bad him hope an ample recompence He conquer'd in that hope and from your hands His Love the precious pledge he left demands Emp. No more you search too deep my wounded mind And show me what I fear and would not find My Son has all the debts of duty paid Our Prophet sends him to my present aid Such virtue to distrust were base and low I 'm not ungrateful or I was not so Inquire no farther stop his coming on I will not cannot dare not see my Son Arim. 'T is now too late his entrance to prevent Nor must I to your ruine give consent At once your Peoples heart and Son 's you lose And give him all when you just things refuse Emp. Thou lov'st me sure thy faith has oft been tri'd In ten pitch'd Fields not shrinking from my side Yet giv'st me no advice to bring me ease Arim. Can you be cur'd and tell not your disease I ask'd you Sir Emp. Thou should'st have ask'd again There hangs a secret shame on guilty men Thou shouldst have pull'd the secret from my breast Torn out the bearded Steel to give me rest At least thou should'st have ghess'd Yet thou art honest thou could'st near have ghess'd Hast thou been never base did Love ne'r bend Thy frailer Virtue to betray thy Friend Flatter me make thy Court and say It did Kings in a Crowd would have their Vices hid We would be kept in count'nance sav'd from shame And own'd by others who commit the same Nay now I have confess'd Thou seest me naked and without disguise I look on Aureng-Zebe with Rivals eyes He has abroad my enemyes o'recome And I have sought to ruin him at home Arim. This free confession showes you long did strive And virtue though opprest is still alive But what success did your injustice find Emp. What it deserv'd and not what I design'd Unmov'd she stood and deaf to all my prayers As Seas and Winds to sinking Mariners But Seas grow calm and Winds are reconcil'd Her Tyrant beauty never grows more mild Pray'rs promises and threats were all in vain Arim. Then cure your self by generous disdain Emp. Virtue disdain despair I oft have tri'd And foil'd have with new Arms my Foe defi'd This made me with so little joy to hear The Victory when I the Victor fear Arim. Something you swiftly must resolve to do Lest Aureng-Zebe your secret Love should
and courage in distress Are more than Armies to procure success Exit ACT III. Arimant with a Letter in his hand Indamora Arim. ANd I the Messenger to him from you Your Empire you to Tyranny pursue You lay commands both cruel and unjust To serve my Rival and betray my trust Ind. You first betray'd your trust in loving me And should not I my own advantage see Serving my Love you may my Friendship gain You know the rest of your pretences vain You must my Arimant you must be kind 'T is in your Nature and your Noble Mind Arim. I 'll to the King and streight my trust resign Ind. His trust you may but you shall never mine Heav'n made you love me for no other end But to become my Confident and Friend As such I keep no Secret from your sight And therefore make you judge how ill I write Read it and tell me freely then your mind If 't is indited as I meant it kind Arim. reading I ask not Heav'n my freedom to restore But onely for your sake I 'll read no more And yet I must Reading Less for my own than for your sorrow sad Another line like this would make me mad As reading Heav'n she goes on yet more and yet more kind Each Sentence is a Dagger to my mind Reading See me this night Thank Fortune who did such a Friend provide For faithful Arimant shall be your Guide Not onely to be made an Instrument But preingag'd without my own consent Ind. Unknown t' ingage you still augments my score And gives you scope of meriting the more Arim. The best of men Some int'rest in their actions must confess None merit but in hope they may possess The fatal Paper rather let me tear Than like Bellerophon my own Sentence bear Ind. You may but 't will not be your best advice 'T will onely give me pains of writing twice You know you must obey me soon or late Why should you vainly struggle with your Fate Arim. I thank thee Heav'n thou hast been wondrous kind Why am I thus to slavery design'd And yet am cheated with a free-born mind Or make thy Orders with my reason sute Or let me live by Sense a glorious Brute She frowns You frown and I obey with speed before That dreadful Sentence comes See me no more See me no more that sound methinks I hear Like the last Trumpet thund'ring in my ear Enter Solyman Solym. The Princess Melesinda bath'd in tears And toss'd alternately with hopes and fears If your affairs such leisure can afford Would learn from you the fortunes of her Lord. Arim. Tell her that I some certainty may bring I go this minute to attend the King Ind. This lonely Turtle I desire to see Grief though not cur'd is eas'd by Company Arim. to Solym. Say if she please she hither may repair And breathe the freshness of the open Air. Exit Solym. Ind. Poor Princess how I pity her estate Wrapt in the ruines of her Husbands Fate She mourn'd Morat should in Rebellion rise Yet he offends and she 's the Sacrifice Arim. Not knowing his design at Court she staid Till by command close pris'ner she was made Since when Her Chains with Roman Constancy she bore But that perhaps an Indian Wife's is more Ind. Go bring her comfort leave me here alone Arim. My love must still be in obedience shown Exit Arim. Enter Melesinda led by Solyman who retires afterwards Ind. When graceful sorrow in her pomp appears Sure she is dress'd in Melesinda's tears Your head reclin'd as hiding grief from view Droops like a Rose surcharg'd with morning Dew Mel. Can Flow'rs but droop in absence of the Sun Which wak'd their sweets and mine alas is gone But you the noblest Charity express For they who shine in Courts still shun distress Ind. Distress'd my self like you confin'd I live And therefore can compassion take and give We 're both Love's Captives but with Fate so cross One must be happy by the others loss Morat or Aureng-Zebe must fall this day Mel. Too truly Tamerlain's Successors they Each thinks a World too little for his sway Could you and I the same pretences bring Mankind should with more ease receive a King I would to you the narrow World resign And want no Empire while Morat was mine Ind. Wish'd freedom I presage you soon will find If Heav'n be just and be to Virtue kind Mel. Quite otherwise my mind foretels my Fate Short is my life and that unfortunate Yet should I not complain would Heav'n afford Some little time ere death to see my Lord. Ind. These thoughts are but your melancholy's food Rais'd from a lonely life and dark abode But whatsoe'r our jarring fortunes prove Though our Lords hate me-thinks we two may love Mel. Such be our Loves as may not yield to Fate I bring a heart more true than fortunate Giving their hands To them Arimant Arim. I come with haste suprising news to bring In two hours time since last I saw the King Th' affairs of Court have wholely chang'd their face Unhappy Aureng-Zebe is in disgrace And your Morat proclaim'd the Successor Is call'd to awe the City with his power Those Trumpets his triumphant Entry tell And now the Shouts waft near the Cittadel Ind. See Madam see th' event by me foreshown I envy not your chance but grieve my own Mel. A change so unexpected must surprise And more because I am unus'd to joys Ind. May all your wishes ever prosp'rous be But I 'm too much concern'd th' event to see My eyes too tender are To view my Lord become the publick scorn I came to comfort and I go to mourn Taking her leave Mel. Stay I 'll not see my Lord Before I give your sorrow some relief And pay the charity you lent my grief Here he shall see me first with you confin'd And if your virtue fail to move his mind I 'll use my int'rest that he may be kind Fear not I never mov'd him yet in vain Ind. So fair a Pleader any Cause may gain Mel. I have no taste me-thinks of coming joy For black presages all my hopes destroy Die something whispers Melesinda die Fulfil fulfil thy mournful Destiny Mine is a gleam of bliss too hot to last Watry it shines and will be soon o'r-cast Indamora and Melesinda re-enter as into the Chamber Arim. Fortune seems weary grown of Aureng-Zebe While to her new-made Favourite Morat Her lavish hand is wastefully profuse With Fame and flowing Honours tided in Born on a swelling Current smooth beneath him The King and haughty Empress to our wonder If not atton'd yet seemingly at peace As Fate for him that Miracle reserv'd Enter in Triumph Emperor Morat and Train Emp. I have confess'd I love As I interpret fairly your design So look not with severer eyes on mine Your Fate has call'd you to th' Imperial Seat In duty be as you in Arms are great For Aureng-Zebe a hated name is grown And
I 'll view this Captive Queen to let her see Pray'rs and complaints are lost on such as me Mel. I 'll bear the news Heav'n knows how much I 'm pleas'd That by my care th' afflicted may be eas'd As she is going off Enter Indamora Ind. I 'll spare your pains and venture out alone Since you fair Princess my protection own But you brave Prince a harder task must find To Morat kneeling who takes her up In saving me you would but half be kind An humble Suppliant at your feet I lie You have condemn'd my better part to die Without my Aureng-Zebe I cannot live Revoke his Doom or else my Sentence give Mel. If Melesinda in your love have part Which to suspect would break my tender heart If Love like mine may for a Lover plead By the chaste pleasures of our Nuptial Bed By all the int'rest my past suff'rings make And all I yet would suffer for your sake By you your self the last and dearest tie Mor. You move in vain for Aureng-Zebe must die Ind. Could that Decree from any Brother come Nature her self is sentenc'd in your doom Piety is no more she sees her place Usurp'd by Monsters and a savage Race From her soft Eastern Climes you drive her forth To the cold Mansions of the utmost North. How can our Prophet suffer you to Reign When he looks down and sees your Brother slain Avenging Furies will your life pursue Think there 's a Heav'n Morat though not for you Mel. Her words imprint a terror on my mind What if this death which is for him design'd Had been your Doom far be that Augury And you not Aureng-Zebe condemn'd to die Weigh well the various turns of Humane Fate And seek by Mercy to secure your State Ind. Had Heav'n the Crown for Aureng-Zebe design'd Pity for you had pierc'd his generous mind Pity does with a Noble Nature suit A Brother's life had suffer'd no dispute All things have right in life our Prophet's care Commands the beings eve'n of Brutes to spare Though int'rest his restraint has justifi'd Can life and to a Brother be deni'd Mor. All Reasons for his safety urg'd are weak And yet me-thinks 't is Heav'n to hear you speak Mel. 'T is part of your own being to invade Mor. Nay if she fail to move would you perswade Turning to Inda My Brother does a glorious Fate pursue I envy him that he must fall for you He had been base had he releas'd his right For such an Empire none but Kings should fight If with a Father he disputes this prize My wonder ceases when I see these Eyes Mel. And can you then deny those Eyes you praise Can Beauty wonder and not pity raise Mor. Your intercession now is needless grown Retire and let me speak with her alone Melesinda retires weeping to the side of the Theatre Queen that you may not fruitless tears employ Taking Indamora 's hand I bring you news to fill your heart with joy Your Lover King of all the East shall Reign For Aureng-Zebe to morrow shall be slain Ind. The hopes you rais'd y 'ave blasted with a breath Starting back With Triumphs you began but end with Death Did you not say my Lover should be King Mor. I in Morat the best of Lovers bring For one forsaken both of Earth and Heav'n Your kinder Stars a nobler choice have given My Father while I please a King appears His Pow'r is more declining than his Years An Emperor and Lover but in show But you in me have Youth and Fortune too As Heav'n did to your eyes and form Divine Submit the Fate of all th' Imperial Line So was it order'd by its wise Decree That you should find 'em all compris'd in me Ind. If Sir I seem not discompos'd with rage Feed not your fancy with a false presage Farther to press your Courtship is but vain A cold refusal carries more disdain Unsetled Virtue stormy may appear Honour like mine serenely is severe To scorn your person and reject your Crown Disorder not my face into a frown Turns from him Mor. Your Fortune you should rev'rently have us'd Such offers are not twice to be refus'd I go to Aureng-Zebe and am in haste For your Commands they 're like to be the last Ind. Tell him With my own death I would his life redeem But less than Honour both our Lives esteem Mor. Have you no more Ind. What shall I do or say Aside He must not in this fury go away Tell him I did in vain his Brother move And yet he falsly said he was in love Falsly for had he truly lov'd at least He would have giv'n one day to my request Mor. A little yielding may my love advance She darted from her eyes a sidelong glance Just as she spoke and like her words it flew Seem'd not to beg what yet she bid me do To her A Brother Madam cannot give a day A Servant and who hopes to merit may Mel. If Sir coming to him Mor. No more set speeches and a formal tale With none but States-men and grave Fools prevail Dry up your tears and practise every Grace That fits the Pageant of your Royal place Exit Mel. Madam the strange reverse of Fate you see To Ind. I piti'd you now you may pity me Exit after him Ind. Poor Princess thy hard Fate I could bemoan Had I not nearer sorrows of my own Beauty is seldom fortunate when great A vast Estate but overcharg'd with Debt Like those whom want to baseness does betray I 'm forc'd to flatter him I cannot pay O would he be content to seize the Throne I beg the life of Aureng-Zebe alone Whom Heav'n would bless from Pomp it will remove And make their wealth in privacy and Love Exit ACT IV. Aureng-Zebe solus DIstrust and darkness of a future state Make poor Mankind so fearful of their Fate Death in it self is nothing but we fear To be we know not what we know not where Soft Music. This is the Ceremony of my Fate A parting Treat and I 'm to die in State They lodge me as I were the Persian King And with luxurious Pomp my death they bring To him Nourmahal Nour. I thought before you drew your latest breath To smooth your passage and to soften death For I would have you when you upward move Speak kindly of me to our Friends above Nor name me there th' occasion of your Fate Or what my Interest does impute to Hate Aur. I ask not for what end your Pomp's design'd Whether t'insult or to compose my mind I mark'd it not But knowing Death would soon th' Assault begin Stood firm collected in my Strength within To guard that breach did all my Forces guide And left unmann'd the quiet Senses side Nour. Because Morat from me his being took All I can say will much suspected look 'T is little to confess your Fate I grieve Yet more than you would easily believe Aur. Since my inevitable death you know