Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A42750
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The Roman brides revenge a tragedy, as it is acted at the Theatre-Royal, by His Majesty's servants.
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Gildon, Charles, 1665-1724.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing G736; ESTC R6626
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39,000
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57
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THE Roman Brides Revenge A TRAGEDY As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesty's Servants Me Lâ—ctori credere Mallem Quam Spectatoris Fastidio ferre superbi Hor. LONDON Printed for Iohn Sturton at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street 1697. Dramatis Personae MEN. Galienus Emperor of Rome in Love with Portia Martian Prefect of the Praetorian Cohorts and Generalissimo of the Roman Army in Love with and Contracted to Portia Aurelian His Friend and Brother to Portia Perennius Favourite to the Emperor in Love with Portia a Villain Laetus His Friend and Creature Cleander Faithful Slave to Martian WOMEN Valeria Empress Portia Sister to Aurelian betroth'd to Martian Crispina Maid to Portia Guards Attendants Priests c. To William Gregory of How-Caple Esq THE Author having given me leave to choose a Patron for his Play I knew not where to make a better Choice than You Sir who Inherit the Virtues of your Grandfather the Worthy Mr. Justice Gregory as well as his Estate He who so honourably acquitted himself of the great Trust of Speaker of the House of Commons He who Exerted the Patriot in the worst of Times and shew'd himself an Englishman when 't was dangerous to be so who chose rather to resign his Place on the Bench than oblige an Arbitrary Prince by putting a forc'd Meaning on the Laws to serve his Turn in destroying the Subject But his Virtue was rewarded and this happy Revolution saw him in the Chair where he discharged the Duty of a Just Judge a Good Christian and a Charitable Benefactor in short who liv'd belov'd and dy'd lamented by all Men I could not Sir I am sure oblige the Author more than by putting this his first Endeavour under the Protection of the Heir of this great Man who does in nothing degenerate from so Excellent an Ancestor and I Sir have no less Satisfaction in making Use of this Opportunity to shewâ—how much I am Your Oblig'd Humble Servant J. Sturton PROLOGUE WHen the hot Sun with scorching Beams does shine With Ice we calm the raging heat of Wine Our Author in like Circumstance is cast He cools his Fancy to oblige your Taste He underwrites to please and frames his Wit Exactly to the Level of the Pit Knowing what Stuff will pass 't is his Iâ—â—ention Never to Soare above your Apprehension Therefore he writes to you the Modâ—rate Wits True Country ' Squires conceited Fops Cits Pimps Pandars Parasites Prigs Beaux Bullies And Whores with all their Equipage of Cullies I think I sâ—e one there just so attended Since the Vacation Lord how things are mended I told her Fortune then which I remember Was she shou'd get new Rigging in December Now I Jo. Haynes protest upon my Honour She 's there with all my Prophesie upon her In me a strange Prâ—phetic Spirit reigns Which I impute to an Excess of Brains That does my Business upon each Occasion For none I hope will think 't is Inspiration A Poet came to me the other day To learn the Destiny of his new Play Vrg'd by good Nature I in pitty shew'd him How to prevent a Shame the Devil ow'd him But he wou'd on to meet the Critics Shot So Volunteering Poet went to Pot. Our Author brings you here his Virgin Muse A Virgin you shou'd gently gently use And if she 's Aâ—ker'd now at the beginning Consider this is her first time of sinning Like your kept Misses more experienc't grown She hopes to give Content to all the Town Ladies I 'm sure you will be pleas'd to day For he has two constant Women in his Play And if he 's not deceiv'd a pretty Tale But yet he has this Refuge if that fail When Poet's Plots in Plays are damn'd for Spight They Critics turn and damn the rest that write So the State Plotter on the like Pretence Missing his Aim becomes an Evidence EPILOGUE Spoke by Misse Allison WEll our sad Poet is the lazy'st Rogue H' has sent me here without an Epilogue What shall I do no matter what I say It need have no Relation to the Play The Poet fancies that I 'll plead his Cause Tell you of Passions and Drammatic Laws Or lash the growing Follies of the Town But I have other Business of my own Tho' you may think my Rose not yet full blown I who must make my Fortune o' the Stage Will ne'er expose the Vices of the Age Which I expect to find my chief Support And thrive by them as Flatterers do at Court 'T is not for me to ridicule a Beau I may get Good of him for ought I know Why shou'd I call that Damme Spark a Bully Or the good natur'd keeping Fool a Cully When I as well as others soon may hope To be maintain'd by some conceited Fop. THE Roman Brides Revenge A TRAGEDY ACT I. SCENE I. A Grove at the end of it a Magnificent Temple Solemn Musick is heard at a Distance Enter Perennius and Laetus Per. SHE 's gon Oh! Laetus Portia's gon for ever This Night this very Hour within you Temple That rough hewn Soldier Martian bears her from me What is Perennius now What his Glory His boasted Favour with Romes Emperor The feeble Exhalation of a Night That strikes a Terror into none but Boys For what are all that dread me here but Boys The only Man Rome holds contemns my Frowns Laetus ' St not so loud within the sacred Grove Or you distuâ—b the holy Juglers Omens Per. Oh! that I durst disturb the hated Rites That rob me of my Peace and of my Love Snatch the bright Maid from the pale quaking Priests Rifle her Sweets ev'n in the awful Temple And break the â—ullen Malice of my Fate Laet. Now by the Gods why loose you thus your Temper In impotent Complainings on your Fate If you want Power to supplant your Rival Exert the States-man and contrive Revenge Pâ—r. VVhat can I think or how can I contrive VVhose ruffl'd Thoughts in mad Confusion rowl The different Gusts of Hope Desire Despair Rage and Revenge drive on the furious Billows And to a Hurrican toss up th' impetuous Storm That wrecks my Temper sinks my cooler Counsels And leaves me without Refuge from Destruction Laet. Come smooth this rapid Tempest to a calm A minutes Calm may safely make the Port. Think of the Emperor you know the ways To twist and wind him as your Interest leads You feed his changeful Appetite with Pleasures His Anger and his Smiles are at your beck If Mâ—rtian like a Gyantâ—â—â—le your Heav'n Make your â—ond â—ove destroy him with his Boltâ— Per. Alas I 've try'd my Pow'r with him in vain In only this he 's fixt against my Will Martian alone of all his Father's Friends Yet braves the Shock of my destroying Hand Here I am â—oil'd for like a vast Colossus He stands too firm and mighty for my Gripe Laet. He must be undermin'd then Call to your Aid the well known Arts of Court Those sure can