it lye unfenc't Dem. Look I see a man And I am got into a Garden here Whos 's there Land Nay who 's there an' you go to that Here 's one that hath authority to be here Bat. The Master of the house I do perceive And by his tone a kind of Letter of Lodgings I 'le ask the Question Sir we are strangers newly come to Town Could you afford us any room in your house Land I cannot tell Sir whether I can or no According as I like you Bring a light here Dem. Nay then w' are well enough take up my rooms Ne're stand agreeing with him give him twenty Thirty forty a hundred crowns a week what he Hath a mind to I 'le into Town I grow impatient Exit Bat. Oh! heavens Sir whether do you go To rush in armed crowdes so late a stranger Curse on all rashness I must follow him For fear some mischief happens to him Landlord look to the things provide our rooms We 'l return within this half hour or never Ex. Land Ha! gone and left their Cloak-bags with me What kind of fellows are these some High-way men I know by their hast But sure I 'm in a dream is this a Cloak bag Let 's see what weather 't is it doth not rain Cloak-bags Come I 'le go see what 's in it ho a light there Ser. Here Sir Enter a servant with a Candle Land Nay here Sir Here 's a Cloakbag dropt i' my mouth Come let 's see the Entrails of this beast A rich Chesticore with Diamond buttons Enough enough I 'm satisfied These are stollen goods as sure as I am here And now what shall I do with this Cloakbag Shall I keep the Cloakbag or shall I cry the Cloakbag or shall I sell the Cloakbag nay then I may chance to stretch for the Cloakbag so I may if I should keep the Cloakbag if the right owner should come with an Officer and find the Cloakbag why then the Devil take the Cloak-bag for never was any one so plagued with a Cloakbag well if no body comes to claim the Cloakbag I 'le sell the Cloakbag buy Land and marry a Lady with the Cloakbag and then be Dub'd a Knight of the Order of the Cloakbag Ex. Enter Ladislaus and Theodore The Scene continues Lad. Ungrateful men and do they thus reward me For all the blood I 've shed in their defence To set my head to sale That head which once these flatt'ring Poles would cry Their State could live no more without then I. Theo. I wish your Highness had not flung that Letter It seems you were discover'd I 'me amaz'd Which way Lad Sharnofsky hath betrayed me Thus had he done had I expos'd my person Instead of a trifling paper or had sent thee He would have wrackt thee to discover me Theo. But I 'de have been torn limb from limb first Lad. I doubt not thy fidelity good Theodore I 've ever found thee generous and faithful More generous then those whose birth and Grandeur Obliges them to higher pretence of Honour Good heavens what 's this world I should have sooner Suspected Angels then the Count or Princess Theod. Good Sir do not discompose your Soul With these suspicions of your noble friends 'Till you know more Lad. My noble friends ah Theodore I have no friends my fortune fame and honour Heaven and Earth and she whom I adore Above 'um all deserts me nothing adheres to me But my own courage I see the Count and she Convert the news of my escape from Moscow By the generous kindness of the Russian Princess Into pretences to disguise their falshood To ruine my interests and unite their own To marry and to aspire to the Crown All Poland sees it and the Card'nal dreads u'm Much more then me and all this great alarum You 'l find aimes at their lives as well as mine The. Ah! do not credit Sir the common Vogue Lad. Come Theodore 't is true but that I 've learnt How to command my passions as well as Armies And owe more reverence to my own memory Then after death to have my head plac'd aloft On some old Tower to feed the greedy eyes Of my proud Enemies this very instant Shanofsky's soul or mine should fleet in air The. Well Sir I say no more I only beg you Take into some house you see what danger You 'r in the Guards are searching all about And here we wander up and down i' th' dark Only what sickly light the Moon will lend us But Sir I think we 're got into a Garden Lad. On the backside of a house knock Theodore Knocks and enter Landlord with a light Land Who 's there well this is not to be endur'd Every one gets into my backside If my Landlord will not fence it I 'le promise him I 'le do 't and stop it in his Rent well what 's the Business with you now more Cloakbags Theo. Sir we are strangers newly come to Town And are in great want of Lodgings If you could furnish us name your own price By this Gold we 'l not refuse it you Gives him money Land Let 's look on you according as I like you By this Gold you have good honest faces I have a room for you Theo. Thank you Sir pray what other Lodgers have you We ask you ' cause we would be very private Land I have none at present but some fidling women that come from Cracow to see the choosing of the new King a young Gentleman and a Cloakbag Lad. VVhat doth this fellow mean by this Cloakbag Theo. Your Highness hath hap'ned very fortunately Aside to Lad. Land Well but how did you pass the Guards so late For here 's a heavy pudder about the Duke of Curland He 's come to Town it seems in disguize And here 's five thousand crowns bid for his head Happy man be his dole that catches him For my part I don't expect so good luck Five thousand Crowns and a Cloakbag are too much for one night The. I perceive this fellow 's none of the honestest Aside I here 's a great alarum what 's the matter Land Why Sir the Duke of Curland look ye you must know VVas a great favourite of the last Kings And he contracted him to his Daughter And intended to marry him to her but then it hap'ned The Muscoviters invaded us with a great army The Duke Sir upon a simple quibble of Honour Goes General of our Army against 'um I was a Corporal under him at the same time Tho. De' e hear my Lord pray keep your disguize close Land And thought forsooth to have come back in triumph And married the Lady and he was taken prisoner And ne're comes back at all Lad. That was unfortunate Land Now Sir it seems he hath given 'um the slip out of Muscovy by the help o' the Russian Princess and they are run away together and here he lies lurking in Poland to fit his business and now all
as formerly it was in Arms witnesse those new Academies and Societies Erected amongstus for Philosophical Commerce and the improvement of Language Wit and Arts Commodities which Forreigne Vertuosoes would have engrossed to themselves and till of late denyed to be the native growth of this now in all respects most happy and most fertile Island It is from your Lordships Pen that Solyman may be truly stiled Magnificent and you have made him succeed to the Civility and Gallantry of the Greeks as well as to their Empire nor was Mustapha ever so much the hopes of his Barbarous Nation as in his Image and the generous Character you have given him he is the delight of England who weep the Fate not of Mustapha but of Murder'd Vertue And indeed what Pen but your Lordships could have refined and softned a Story so Barbarous and made a people so remote from Friendship Honour and Religion walk disguised in the Highest Characters of them all It is your Lordships Pen that hath assisted Henry the fifth in a second conquest of France and in the noblest Characters of Valour Love and Friendship hath made the English Wit and Language as tryumphant as their Arms nor could a story acted with so much glory and success be attempted by any Pen beneath your Lordship's In fine it is your Lordship that hath Charmed up the Ghosts of many Noble Heroes who otherwise would have lain unlamented in their Tombs And they have walked on the Stage in Brighter Shapes than ever they lived and have been conducted to their Fates with more sorrow of the Spectators then perhaps they had when they dyed And all this your Lordship hath done not in the pleasure of Shade Ease and Retirement and with the Advantages and Assistances that meaner Spirits are forced to make use of for their Compositions but they are only the Sallyes of your Pen and that during the uneasie intervals which pain sometimes borrows from State Affairs and what a fit of the Gout snatches from the use and benefit your Lordship takes care to employ to the delight and pleasure of the World and if your Lordship can do all this upon the rack of pain and with some glances of your thoughts whil'st the rest like scattered Rayes of Light are dispersed on various Objects what would you do with all the Freedom and Ease of other men and with the united force of your Soul But I am sinking again out of my depth and must retreat once more to that shore from whence I am insensibly wandred I mean my Lord to the consideration of my self and of this worthless Present which I make to your Lordship Which my Lord I cannot but look with much contempt upon as being conscious to my self in what hast and confusion it was composed and of what ex-tempore thoughts the greatest part of it consists Nor should I have presumed to have usher'd it into the world under so great a Patronage had not I first obtained your leave And now I hope your Lordship that at the hearing of it whil'st it was in loose sheets was pleased to forgive the faults of the Poem will now in this address pardon those of the Author whose chief design is not to gain the name of Poet Author Wit or Critick but that of Octo. 4. 1671. My Lord Your Lordships most humble and most obedient servant JOHN CROWN The Names of the Persons CArdinal Governour of Poland ex Officio during the Interregnum Mr. Harris Ladislaus Duke of Curland a Soveraign Prince Foedatory to the Crown of Poland oft General of their Armies contracted to Juliana in her Fathers life-time and in an Expedition against the Muscovite was taken prisoner and carried to Moscow Mr. Betterton Demetrius a young Prince of the Imperial House of Muscovy in love with Paulina and privately married to her by deceit she supposing him the Duke Mr. Young Sharnofsky a Count Palatine friend to the Duke Mr. Smith Ossolinsky Lord Grand Marshal of Poland and of the Cardinals Faction Mr. Bamsield Cassonofsky Lubomirsky Count Palatines of the Cardinals Faction Mr. Sandford Colimsky A Count Palatine friend to Sharnofsky and of the Princesses Faction Mr. Norris Landlord of the house in Warsow where the Duke lay concealed Mr. Angel Theodore Servant to the Duke M. Metburn Alexey A Russian Lord that assists and accompanies Paulina in her flight Mr. Crosby Battista Servant to Demetrius Mr. Westwood Juliana Daughter of the deceased King of Poland in love with the Duke of Curland and contracted to him before her Fathers death M rs Btetterton Paulina Daughter of the great Tzar of Muscovy in love with the Duke and upon a supposed marriage with him assists him in his escape and pursues him to Poland in the habit of a man Mrs. Long. Joanna Maid of Honour to Paulina Mrs. Shadwel Francisca Emilia Maids of Honour to Juliana Souldiers Servants Guards c. The Scene Warsow in Poland at the meeting of the Ban and Arreer Ban arm'd in the field for the Election of a King The PROLOGUE YOu Judges Criticks Wits and Poets too And whatsoever Titles are your due As pretty Features each in proper place Put altogether make a pretty face So you good Wits and you that would be so You all together make a pretty show And when you thus in general Councel sit You are the body Politick of Wit Vnto you all our Poet bid me say Good faith you 'r kindly welcome to his Play 'T is a plain Complement to speak the truth But you must know he is a modest youth Like Country Gallant just whom Courtier brings To see fine dainty Mis who playes and sings Approaching to'r poor Gallant falls a mumping Scraping o' leggs and feign he would say something And round about the room he slings and skips Whil'st tongue lyes still i' th' scabbard of his lips Just so our Poet usher'd to the door To court coy Wits h 'ad never seen before Wits that have all the sparkish Gallants known And tryed th' abilities of all the Town Poor bashful Poet faith h 'ad got his Play Vnder his arm and had run quite away â—ad not we promis'd him to use our skill And in'trest w'e'e to gain him your good will Then faith for ence since he 's so eager for 't Seem kind and coming though it be for sport Then like some Cully on his wedding night Thinking his Bride lyes ravisht with delight Bestirs his simple self whil'st she lies still Laughs at the Fool and lets him work his will So will our Poet to 't and work his brain To try to entertain you once again And if he mends you that delight to range With every Youth may use him then for chang If not e'en huff the Fool and give him o're Then he perhaps will trouble you no more JULIANA OR THE Princess of Poland ACT THE FIRST Paulina sleeping under a Tree Joanna sitting by and singing The Scene a Grove and Gardens The Song LO behind a Scene of Seas
and I had rather tell you with my Sword then my Pen which I had done if an unhappy accident had not confin'd me to a small Village and my Chamber and enforc't me to make use of the kindness of the bearer my Cousen the Duke of Novogrod to seek you The acquaintance you have had of my temper will easily give you to believe that I had rather fight ten battles then write six lines and therefore you must not expect long Epistles from me Then in short you have abus'd me with dissembled friendship affronted and ruin'd me by stealing away my Princess your crimes are unexpiable by any thing but your life which I expect you tender me on the point of your sword The circumstance as of time place and weapon I refer to your self and you may acquaint my Cousen the Duke whose return from you I expect with impatience Demetrius Lad. The Prince is very severe and his charge is high Paul Sir I suppose he hath reason Lad. That he ought to ' have been assur'd of e're he had condemn'd his friend Paul Well Sir in short your answer Lad. My answer is Sir that the Prince hath wrong'd me I 've not abus'd him with dissembled friendship Nor stole his Princess she remaines with him For ought I know so may my friendship too If 't pleases him Paul Oh heavens how unfortunate Am I in my love see he disowns my flight And he 'l disown the marriage too and I Shall pass for some base prostrate thing aside Lad. You seem disorder'd Sir Paul I am disorder'd Sir at what y 'ave said I only thought before the Princess lost to all her friends and fortunes but now 't is worse I see she 's lost to honour and fallen into the hands of one that basely disowns her Lad. You are too quick and fierce in your assertions Sir Paul No fiercer Sir Then the case merits Had you own'd her flight And own'd a marriage too it had been honourable For upon other tearms she would not flie But let me tell you Sir in the same breath In which you disown her flight you little less Then call her Strumpet Lad. Do you come here young Duke to talk or fight Paul Sir which you please To fight now that I had a Furies whip Totear thy heart and scourgethy perjur'd soul draws aside Lad. Must it be so Jo. Oh! murder murder Enter Joanna and Alexey Alex. Hold hold your hand Sir save that tender life Here is an enemy more fit for thee The. What Villains are these draws Lad. Ha! an ambush Paul Begone what mean you to betray me thus aside to Jo. Al. I am but humouring my part retire These are my servants Sir regard 'um not to Lad. I 'le play you no foul play retire I say to Jo. Al. Come come my Lord let us put up our anger This time and place are not convenient puts up For this besides I exceed my Commission in 't I should displease the Prince to take your life And grieve him to loose my own come let us talk By all that 's good I honour you And do believe you 'l tell me sacred truth Then tell me truly by the faith and honor Of a brave man do you know where the Princess Is fled and are you married to her or no Lad. Then by those sacred things by which you conjure me by any thing that 's more Divine then they I know not of her flight nor am I married to her Paul Walks up and down in a passion and disorder Paul Oh! horrid horrid I shall sink and die aside Lad. Sir you look pale how do you Paul I could find in my heart to stab him aside Lad. Your countenance changes Sir I fear you 'r ill and but dissemble it in complaisance pray let me wait upon you to your Chamber Paul No good my Lord no Ceremony pray Sweetnatur'd Devil aside Enter Sharnofsky conducting Juliana followed by Hypolita Emilia Francisca the Women all Vizarded Lad. Ha! what is 't I see It is a Vision Count Sharnofsky conducting a Lady out of yonder Monastery she and her Train all Mask't what should it mean my Lord I beg your pardon I 'le wait on you instantly Paul Oh! my sweet Lord Ironicè Ho there Jo. Al. Madam the news to her Joanna Alexy Paul Curland's a Monster Al. I 'le run and kill him Paul No let me alone I 'le kill him but it shall be with torments Steel Poison Fire Racks Scorpions Hell oh me unfortunate Jo. She 's grown distracted Paul Lead me I faint Jo. She swounes help help they carry her out Al. Who should these be The. Who 're these my Lord is gazing on so earnestly ha it should be his friend the Count but what 's that Vizard Lady see she unmasques Jul. Where are we now my Lord Shar I 'm sure not far from Count Colimskyes Gardens The. It is the Princess Lad. Heavens 't is my Princess 'T is she 't is she my guilty soul retires At th' apparition of that bright Divinity VVhich my soul whispers I have now offended Just so a suffering Saint that long had bin Triumphant over all the Arts of Sin And in all combats made a brave defende And still preserv'd entire his innocence But yet at last before he is aware Begins to slide into some pleasing snare By heaven surpriz'd his soul is then afraid Of joyes for which he had endur'd and pray'd Sh. I see the Garden gate this this way Madam Ex. Sh. Jul. c. Lad. Ha! vanquish't thus heavens unsold this Mystery It is too dark for me and I must follow To see the opening of this cloudy Scene Ex. The. See my Lord chases 'um I dread the event I wish some Mist had screen'd this horrid Vision from his sight Ex. Enter Sharnofsky Juliana Hyp. Em. Fran. The Scene a Garden at the one end a Palace Jul. Heavens in what shady path's my fortunes leads me And must I hide my head in Natures Nunnery among these Virgin flowers to save my self From him who now though he so proud can be Hath often for his safety fled to me Nor would it grieve me if I did but know For what it is he persecutes me so Or how I ever did offend this proud Aspiring Man that he should seek my blood Shar The Tyrant Madam thinks the Duke and you Do all his towring policies undo And then his active brain wants no design The strongest innocence to undermine Then for the State he doth bewitch their sense VVith the love-powder of his eloquence His sliding tongue doth with its charming strains Like a smooth Serpent coyle about their brains And with its sting not only taints the blood Of fools and bigotts but the wise and good But yet in spight of all such arts as these VVe 'l darken his proud Starrs and on his knees Yet make him er'e w' have done this fatal strife At these fair hands thus humbly ask his life At the instant that Shar