is there and almost all The Royal Blood but what is in his veins His Mother Brother Daughters little Son Nay more his beauteous Queen are slaves to those To whom they once scorn'd to be Sovereigns Two Royal Virgins in their early Spring Lye like fallen Blossoms at their Mother's feet At her fair Bosom hangs her Infant Son A withering branch torn from his once great hopes He who was lately Heir of half the World Is now not Lord of his poor little Self His greatest happiness is Ignorance He does not know the Glory he has lost But hugs the Enemy that ruins him The Conqueror cannot see this without Tears And cursing his unfortunate success And then oh Can it be endur'd by us But I may spare all this to Men so brave So tryed as you have to your Glory been Lord Bessus Nabarzanes and your Troops Na. We may one day be tryed upon your selves aside Be. Silence Lord Nabarzanes have a care aside Ar. Fortune Lord Bessus seems afraid of you She 's Alexander's Mistress but you Slave She gives him Favours but you ravish ' em At our great blow at the Cilician Streights All came off safe as priviledg'd from Fate That kept within the precincts of your Sword. Be. Indeed my Lord my Bactrians did well Ar. And you Lord Patron and your valiant Greeks Must give me leave to give you your due praise These gallant Men are to our Fortune tyed By indispensable Allegiance But you are strangers loose from any bonds Pa. My Lord we are for ever bound to you By Gratitude and Honour Greece indeed Gave us our birth but you our happiest hours That our best Blood is yours Ar. Most Noble Lord Well If we fail to morrow 't will be strange We have the strength of this vast Monarchy The justice of our Cause Necessity Ay and th' inconstancy of Fortune too That mutability which ruin'd us In the last Field may be our Friend the next Now to your Tents and take a brief repose That so prepar'd you may not be surpriz'd The King suspects these Macedonian Thieves Will act like Thieves and steal on us by night They will not dare to look on us by day And therefore he has wisely given Command Great part o' th' Army be in Arms all night And all be ready at the Trumpets sound Be. 'T is wisely order'd Ar. Now my Lords Good Night Be. My Lord we wish your Excellence Good night Heaven give us all to Morrow a Good Day Ex. Ar. Pa. I 'le to my Charge my Lords Good night to you Ex. Pa. Be. Good Night Lord Patron this is a brave Greek Na. And our old General a brave Persian Be. He 's like the Sun a Largesse to the World And not to be consum'd by age or toil Na. The King and he are th' only gallant Men In this whole Nation Be. Memnon to your Tent. Mem. Good Night my Lord. Ex. Mem. Be. He 's honest but he 's young Our talk has too much weight for his green youth Na. And our Affairs I think have so much weight We shall not sleep beneath 'em much to night Be. 'T is true my Lord come let us to my Tent Come with us Dataphernes Da. Ay my Lord. Ex. All go out and re-enter immediately SCENE Bessus's Tent. Be. Our Fortune places us in a strange Post For we are bound to fight against our selves Let who will conquer we shall be subdued For say the Persian Army gets the day We know they cannot do it without us The noble fruits of our own Gallantry Will all be set in this luxurious Soil Our Swords will be as barren as our Lands These Cowards must rule the Brave by whom they rule Dat. They Govern us they ha' not power to rule Men Wine or Women or their own Silk-worms The Men are all devour'd by Luxury And Alexander only has the Orts. Na. Therefore they 'r nauseous both to Heaven and Earth And it is insolence in mortal Man To force upon the Gods what they disgust Cram Nations down the throat of Providence Which it throws up again in every field Dat. I do declare I 'd no more fight to guard The King's Dominions over heartless Cowards Than I wou'd fight for Eagles to defend Their Principality over the Birds Be. Nay I have ever thought a Persian King Was at the most but Master of a Mint Persia has Gold and Jewels but no Men It has been long depopulated all By Slavery and Vice by Women too Women shou'd fill and they unman their Towns War lays 'em not so wast War mars and makes This War has made more Men than it has kill'd The slaughter'd heaps were only loads of Clay Where there was the Image of a Man. Na. My Lord they are all Images of Whores They march into the field rather equipp'd Like Ladies for a Ball than Troops for War. like Women too with weapons weaponless They dye unwounded by the sight of Wounds And serve the Ravens up in massy Plate The Persian Crows are fed in greater pomp Than Kings of Macedon Dat. Oh! never cowards Were at more cost nobly to hide themselves The Men cannot be seen for Plumes and Gold. Nor can the Gold for Diamonds be seen The Royal Metle is opprest by Jewels Their modest Swords which abhor nakedness Though Heaven knows in State of Innocence Sleep in their Scabbards as in Velvet Beds Under rich Coverlids of cluster'd Pearl Na. And to what end is this they only prove Fine Sumpter Hoâ—ses to the Enemy To carry Baggage for 'em to the field Be. Yet they must Lord it o're brave Nations Who can subdue both Men and Elements How does our naked flesh vanquish the cold How oft is Snow our only Winter Shirt Na. Yet does our Gallantry far exceed theirs We have no Ladies Favours on our Swords But Victories the Favours of the Gods Are always there Be. No thanks to Persians Who do not only quit us in the field And so most cowardly expose our lives But stint our Troops that they may starve our Fame I have five thousand Horse and only fight To be a slave to Cowards Na. Nay to Brutes Europeans are Men for they enjoy Their Reason wisely gather'd into Laws Here they are Brutes for only strength commands Our only Law is that there is no Law. All things are lawful here to Power but Laws The only rule of Justice here is Might The strong devour the weak and no wrong done The Wolf is not unjust that eats the Lamb. The Lamb is in the wrong to be a Lamb. Be. In short the Nature of the King is mild But cruel is the Nature of his Crown Then to whose lot soever it befals If I survive they shall not keep it long Not that I mean to fix it on my Head But to Crown Nature Freedom and Sense In which all Men have equal shares with me Na. My Lord you 'l have a Crown in those great Thoughts Not what 's without but what
I therefore beg you to accept It is true commâ—n Dedicators have brought this sort of Addresses into as much contempt as common Evidences have done Swearing The true and first intent of 'em was Sacred A Dedication ought to be a little Chappel Consecrated to the Memory of some Friend of Worth and a Repository of Holy Reliques Now 't is become like the Temple Church a place where Knights of the Post ply that are ready to say any thing for any one But I have kept a better Reputation in the World you will come amongst good company There are few Names fixt before my Writings but may serve like the Phenix's on the Front of our new Buildings for marks of Insurance and might insure 'em were it possible But I come to you with no such foolish design For how ridiculous and unreasonable is it to desire another to defend my impertinence An office no wise Man will undertake and the greatest Man that is cannot perform My Writings when they are out of my hand are no longer mine the World pays for 'em and will manage 'em as they please All care of 'em is vain therefore I take none My Honesty no Man shall dispose of but myself 'T is to preserve that and not my Writings I beg your leave for this Address and I wou'd not accept your leave if it wou'd cost me any flattery You have liv'd in the last Court and this with great Reputation Have approv'd yourself to be a Man of Honour Loyalty Courage Generosity good Sense good Nature and good Morals which ought to be celebrated for the publick Good which too much wants such examples I know how ill the sick and corrupt World digests the least praise of any but themselves How tyr'd even good Men are if you lead 'em far into the commendation of any Man and the bad will not go along with you but on some ill design Therefore I shall keep where I am safe where every Man will be o' my side No Man that knows you but confesses you to be one of the worthiest Gentlemen they know I shou'd therefore shew very little worth of myself if I shou'd slight both your Favour and Desert And SIR I hope you who have forgiven Writings of mine that shew my Follies will not be displeas'd with this Dedication where I shew the few Virtues I have my Justice and Integrity which are the best claims I have to the Title of SIR Your most Humble and Obliged Servant JOHN CROWN Dramatis Personae DArius King of Persia Artabasus A Nobleman of great Quality Loyalty Years General of all the King's Armies Bessus Viceroy of Bactria Nabarzanes Viceroy of Hircania Memnon A beautiful valiant Loyal young Man Son of Bessus by an Amazon Queen Patron A valiant faithful Greek General of the Greek Auxiliaries that serve in the Persian Army Dataphernes A Bactrian Officer that serves under Bessus Barzana A beautiful Princess o' the Royal Blood Married to Bessus Oronte Her Confident SCENE The Plains and Town of Arbela in Persia THE PROLOGUE WHen a young Writer Poetry first wooes Oh! how he 's charm'd with a fond flatt'ring Muse Scorns Physick Law Divinity he climbs To Heaven by Ladders made o' Ropes o' Rhimes Finds Heaven and Gold in Verse and while he pores He pities Judges Bishops Chancellors They ne'r attain his Joys they 'r Rich and Great But he 's above 'em all for he 's a Wit A Prince in Verse and Princes Titles give His Pen at will makes Honour dye or live He dubbs this Man a Knave a Coxcomb that Gives any Brow a horny Coronet Orders some famous Beauty every hour His Letters Patents to be call'd a Whore Deserv'd or not he does it all by Power Thus like a Beau and Bully o' the Town He by debauching Beauties gets Renown That is their Names for he enjoys not one Thus was our Poet by his Muse drawn in 'T is true she always innocent has been Kept Shop like a good creditable Cit But traded in damn'd never thriving Wit. Lawyers have Fees howe'r their Causes go And Parsons with lean Sermons fat can grow Of Lawyers your undoing you must buy And Doctors will not cheaply let you dye The vilest Quack by ignorance can get More than the best of Poets by his Wit. Then you may ask Why will the Poet Write He says his Genius bids and Hours invite No lumbring business in his way is laid His Life 's a private and a vacant Shade And with design both to instruct and please He plants the Walks with various Images And humbly prays you if with Art he writes You 'l not take pains to damn your own Delights Nay do not damn him much if he writes ill For then he writes like you that is Gentile DARIUS King of PERSIA ACT I. SCENE The Field Trumpets Sound Enter Artabasus Bessus Nabarzanes Memnon Patron Dataphernes Persians Bactrians Greeks Ar. SO now my Lords the dreadful day is near That will for ever ruin or confirm The greatest Throne that ever the Sun saw To Morrow oh to Morrow thou art big With vast events time never produc'd the like At Granicus we had not half our strength But in this Army is all Persia Be. I think my Lord we are effective Men Seven hundred thousand Ar. Ay and more my Lord. Na. Yet of all these my Lord you and I lead Scarce Fifteen thousand Aside to Be. Be. Silence Ar. We have left Our Cities Towns and Fields all desolate That one wou'd think the Conqueror had been there The Valleys bend beneath us the Hills groan The Fields nay all the Heavens seem to stretch And give us room and we have room to Fight We are not here at the Cilician Streights Where we were pris'ners e're the Fight begun Penn'd in with Mountains that clipp'd both our wings And squeez'd our Bodies close till it became As weak and slender as the Enemy The King has done his Duty furnish'd all This multitude with Arms and Ground to fight And his own Glorious example too Let us do ours but dare be Conquerors We shall be so we must be so or Ghosts Or worse poor wretched Slaves our Liberties Our Fortunes Wives and Children are all here Lord Bessus is not your fair Princess here The King 's late beauteous Gift Be. She is my Lord. Ar. Wou'd you not rather see that Beauty dead Than given up to Macedonian Lust Be. She shall be rather by my Sword enioy'd Ar. And here I see your Son a Noble Youth Me. Oh! my good Lord. Ar. Lord Memnon give me leave I think Lord Bessus I have heard you say An Amazonian Queens warlike Embrace Presented you this Gift Be. 'T is true my Lord. Ar. Believe it 'T was a bounty to the World. Me. Nay now my Lord. Ar. Nay pray let me be just Who wou'd not grieve to see this worth in chains And yet now I reflect more worth than his Ay or than half our Kingdom is in chains Even half our King
but yours is not with horror seiz'd Viewing the danger that approaches us Sir you deserve the Empire o' the World. And we 'l endeavour Sir to deserve you Great Sir go on and we will follow you You have prepar'd us all with Glorious Arms With hopes of Victory and scorn of Death Pa. Sir We are strangers owe our Birth to Greece So are free Troops and may march where we please But yet to shew we fight for Fame not Pay And did not serve your Money but your Self We are all ready to lay down our Lives And on our Sepulchres erect your Throne For what a Glory will it be to us To make the Persian King our Monument Da. I look'd brave Patron for no less from thee Now it will be a shame if Persian Lords Let a poor stranger in their King 's own Court Outshine 'em all in Love and Loyalty Me. The Gods forbid Lead on most Royal Sir I have some wounds require my present care But Sir they will not indispose me long Ex. Be. Now speak our Thoughts to him we are prepar'd Na. You shew a Courage Sir that shames your Fate Which gives your Crown from your Descent and Right But what has made Heaven blush shall make you bleed Fate plots your ruine by your Gallantry Alas we are not now as we have been A Sea of Men that delug'd the whole Earth Swallowed the Rivers devour'd Nature's Store Emptied the spacious vessel o' the World. More than the grasp o' Providence cou'd hold That down we fell in heaps now 't is not so We may be numbred now all we can do Is but to gain some pity for our selves And Honourably throw away our King. Brave Men scorn Death but yet they value Life Because their Lives are useful to the World. It is enough too much Danger and Death Follow us fast let us not follow them Sir I most humbly move Heaven knows my Soul In tenderness to you not to our selves Retreat with us to neighb'ring Bactria Sir there are endless Forests of brave Youth Whence in few days we will have rods enow To scourge the Macedonian pride to death But then we beg you 'l make one more retreat Da. Whither Na. Sir out of the Dominion Of your ill Planets Da. Ha! What dost thou mean Na. Sir we dare fight with Men but not with Heaven And all the Gods appear your Enemies What if you hid in privacy and ease It wou'd be pious reverence to Heaven And a brave conquest over your own Mind Let none subdue Darius but himself Fling up awhile to th' importuning storm Some of your Dignity to save the rest And make your Court to Heaven and all brave Men By honouring the favourite of both Lord Bessus with the Sovereign power Da. How now Na. Nay Sir but for a while till he has lur'd Gods and revolting Nations to your aid He is ador'd by Men obey'd by Gods. They all observe his Will they 'l not deny Your Crown to him and when 't is in his hand He 'l faithfully return it to your Self Da. Oh! Villain most amazing impudent And cowardly Villain hast thou watch'd thy time When Treason may be insolent and safe And to my Face abuse me unchastis'd No Traytor Da. Draws Bessus and his Men interpose and hold the King. Be. Hold Sir do not hurt your Self Da. Ha! I am seiz'd and threatned Are you all In this conspiracy Pa. No I am not Pa. and the Greeks draw Be. Hold Patron hold hold all that love the King. He will receive no hurt except from you Our Blood is his perhaps his vital Blood. In me you 'l cut whole Nations from his aid Na. Before we spoke we did consider well The strength both of our Reason and our Swords Ex. Be. Na. Da. Ha! Was this Bessus Pa. Sir Will you bear this By Heavens I wou'd rather endure the Swords Of these bold Villains than their impudence Da. It stunn'd me but I now recover Sense Brave Patron follow me follow me all Though my hard Fortune will not suffer me To conquer Kings I 'll be more like a God. I will defend all Kings even those unborn By the reward these Villains shall receive Their dire confusion shall be the defence Of Kings and Kingdoms forty Ages hence Ar. Oh! he is running to his certain death Oh! Sir. Ar. falls at the King's Feet Da. What dost thou mean Ar. Pity your Self Your Friends your Children you will ruin all Da. Will none stand by me then Pa. Yes Sir we will. Da. De' e see Oh! Shame More Love more Loyalty In this brave Stranger than in all my Friends Whom I have made more rich than all his Greece Come Patron bring thy Greeks they 'r strength enough Ar. Oh! If you 'l go to ruin pass through me My life has long been useless to myself I shall abhor it when 't is so to you And nor my Sword nor Counsel can prevail Da. Oh! How am I beset the Enemy Is at my Back my Friends fly in my Face Ar. Oh! Sir I speak my Loyal Care of you The Enemy is near your Army small The Macedonian was too great a weight For us to bear when we had Millions Alas What shall this little Body do When you have maim'd it too and have cut off Its strongest limbs for so these Great Men are Da. They are cut off from all their love to me Ar. Indeed Sir I believe their meaning good They have stood bravely by you Sir till now Stood stronger than the Walls of Babylon For they are fallen in shame by base revolt If they meant well pardon their erring love Do not destroy 'em for some kind mistakes If they be bad Mercy may change their Hearts Da. Do what you will for all must Reign but I. Oh! My misfortunes Ar. Pray Sir do not grieve Da. Nay prithee if I may not be a King Yet let me be the Mourner of a King I am all the Mourners that my death shall have Ar. Then am I false Da. No pardon me good Man. Pa. Who can pretend to Honor or a Soul And not be touch'd with such a Princes wrong Ar. 'T is true then can the Men he has oblig'd Conspire to wrong him if they had the Thought I doubt not but they will abhor themselves And I shall fling 'em at his Feet in tears Pa. Or by the Gods I 'l fling 'em there in Blood. Da. Oh! how shall I reward thee noble Greek Well it is possible they may mean well Then on submission I will pardon 'em And take 'em to my Favour yet for I â—ear more to do injustice than to dye Ex. Pa. Come my brave Countrymen stand to your Arms And let us shew what a true Soldier is He 's no Mechanique Slave that sells his breath But a just generous Lord of life and death Not a wild Beast that knows no Law but Lust He destroys beastial Men or makes 'em just The Cut-throat does a Soldiers name prophane
King pardons me Sure you may do 't Me. Oh! is the King so good And after that can you forgive your self Be. Ha done Me. I shall but let me do you first What Services I can and set you free From all Temptations you may have from me Perhaps you think a Crown may delight me Oh! I wou'd rather have my Head be cleft In my King's Service than by Treason Crown'd Let but my Sword command the spots of Earth On which I fight to Guard his Crown and Life And Nobler Fortune I will ne're desire The Gods be prais'd there I have Lordships yet And let us all preserve our Loyalty Then our true Glory lives though our Pomp dies For that is Vanity now I have done I 'le make but one Request then take my leave Be. What 's that Me. To chuse the place of my Exile Be. Where 's that Me. In the Fair Arms of one I Love. Be. And who is she Me. I know not wou'd I did It was my Fate at the Cilician Streights To give her Liberty and lose my own Be. Didst thou make no enquiry of her Name Me. I found her grac'd with all perfections And these I think are Names enow for one They took up all my thoughts and all my time Which was not much for soon we were pursu'd I was compell'd to face the Enemy I had the honour of the Victory But lost the best Reward the sight of her For she was fled away and from that hour I saw her not till now Be. Where saw you her Me. Here in this Palace Be. Here my Wife lives here Aside When did you see her Me. Not a minute past Be. Oh! how I tremble this must be my wife Aside Was no one with her Me. Yes your self my Lord. Be. Infernal horrours Me. Ha! he is disturb'd Aside Be. Oh! he has stab'd me sleeping in my Bed And waken'd me in Hell. Past all dispute Her secret sorrow is a Love for him I 've been solliciting for my own shame 'T is so t is so my Son has whor'd my Wife H 'as whor'd her in her Soul and that 's enough I 'le rip him up and carry her his Heart Hold he is Innocent and she may be Shall I skin o're my Wound with that may be And probe no farther no 't will fester then Oh! better see her once in the foul Act And so conclude my Torment and her Sin Than see her hourly sinning in my thoughts Me. My Lord I fear I love not as I shou'd For I perceive it discomposes you Though you in tenderness conceal my fault Pray let me know it I will freely part With all the Joys I have to pleasure you Be. Oh! noble Youth sure I am safe from him Aside But not from my own thoughts I cannot bear Thorns in my Bed if I have torment there Where shall I rest no I must search it well No Son I only doubt your good success Had you any Encouragement Me. I thought I had Be. 'T is done th' Adultery's finish'd o' her part Aside So is her Life Memnon you have my leave To make this Beauty yours be who she will. Me. My Lord I never can requite this Love Because you fight against your self for me For I see great contention in your thoughts Be. 'T is over now go in you 'l find her there Ex. Me. Oh! Memnon now I wish thy Vertue strong For if you mingle Smiles you mingle Blood. As Bessus is stealing after Memnon Nabarzanes enters Na. My Lord my Lord Be. Whos 's that I 'm employ'd Na. I 've Business for you that concerns your Life Be. I 'm busied in concerns above my Life Na. Well let 'em be of more Concern than Heaven You shall abandon'em and go with me Patron the Greek has been among our Troops Discover'd our designs and told the King. Be. Wou'd Patron were in Hell. Na. He shall be worse For head you Troops he shall be in our Power Be. I 'le come immediately Na. Immediately What Business have you here but with your Wife Do you prefer a Kiss above a Crown And all the Lives and Fortunes of your Freinds Then I believe Patron had this from you And you have sold us all Be. Who I Na. Yes you Your Wife and You the Cause and the World Sink I 'le save my self Farewel Be. Hold hold I go Oh! you have wrong'd me Na. Shew it in the Field Be. I will but I shall perish go or stay Stay and the Hangman's Sword falls on my head Go my Wife 's Whor'd aside oh cursed troubled World Where nothing without Sorrow can be had And 't is not easy to be Good or Bad. For Horrour attends Evil Sorrow Good Vice Plagues the Mind and Vertue Flesh and Blood. Ex. ACT IV. SCENE The Field Enter Darius Artabasus Patron Guards Ar. OH have I sav'd Villains to kill my King Da. No more no more I know thy honest thoughts Oh! my dear Children now a long farewell To all my Glory now a long farewel Nay oh my Fate I must for ruine fight Cyrus and Alexander did not shew More Courage to be Lords o' the whole World Than I must do to have no share in it For if these Villains Perish by my Sword I cut off all the Army that I have And I the once Great Monarch of the World Shall want a Cave where I may hide my head But Justice will be best for all Mankind I 'le shew that I deserve the World I lose Pa. I must entreat your leave for one word more Alas I sooner shall have leave from you Than from my self for every word I speak That grieves your heart stabs mine yet I must speak There 's scarce a faithful man in all your Camp. Da. What dost thou say are all the Persians false Pa. They are as true to you as to themselves But as in danger they have always done So they do now forsake you and themselves Da. Ha! do they joyn the Traytors Pa. Oh! Sir no. They joyn with nothing but confounding fear And that they meet with wherefoe're they go Terrours beset ' em Alexander comes And here the Traytors boldly threaten ' em They who had any Life in 'em are fled And they that stay are held by Cowardise They have not Soul enough even for flight Ar. He has told Truth which I was loath to speak We may as well force men into a Camp From Sick and Dying as from wanton Beds From Plagues as Luxury a flattering Pest Da. Oh! Alexander where wou'd be thy Fame Hadst thou my Army well may'st thou subdue Kingdoms by Men who merit to be Kings For mine do not deserve the name of men Pa. Sir one word more and then I shall have done Not far from hence I have four thousand Greeks We march'd to Persia fifty thousand men Did ever Greek forsake you but by Death Alas Sir now we cannot if we wou'd For in your Service we have fought our selves Out of our
yet live to punish you And lash your Crimes with Crimes your cowardly Dissimulation hellish Cruelty Ingratitude more horrid than 'em both By the most Barbarous Murder of your King. Be. Sir in this noise and storm of Passion It is in vain to utter peaceful sounds But time that removes Mountains calms the Sea Will Calm and clear up all and you who think You have receiv'd unpardonable wrong Will ask us pardon for the wrong done us Da. Oh! insolence Na. Sir you will find this Truth Mean while we must go on in this foul way To find the Fair there Guards secure the King. Da. D' e say secure me and yet call me King Oh! rise in my Revenge and Aid all Kings This is your common Cause I am a King. Rise all Mankind for all Humanity Is by these Villains scorn'd disgrac'd and curst By what they do to me their most kind Friend Nay rise all Gods your Power suffers in me Your Minister and a deputed God! Your Justice suffers I am Innocent Be. Well Sir we pray then spare the Innocent Beat not your self against that Loyal force Which we have built to fortifie your Life Na. Yes Sir we mean your Service and we pray Force us on no indecent Violence We 'll treat you Honourably if you please Da. Monsters of Treachery and Ingratitude The King is led out by a Guard. Be. Ho! Dataphernes Dat. I am here my Lord. Be. I trust the King to you upon your Life Keep a strong Guard. Na. That will not be enough Let him be chain'd Be. It is not ill advis'd But for the honour that we bear our selves Let 's honourably treat his Dignity Since we our selves design to be both Kings Then let us beat Gold Ingots into Chains 'T will give a Lustre to our black attempt Aside to Nabarzanes Na. Th' attempt may appear black our ends are Fair. Be. 'T is true Sirs you shall have an Inheritance In manly Freedom your Posterity Shall all be born with Titles to themselves Now my brave Friends plunder the Royal Tents Guards shout Then let us face the Greeks and Persians And see what they will do Na. What dare they do Destroy the King for if they stir he dies Be. 'T is true but if they will our Power obey We 'll do such things shall give us right to sway The right that only does from Birth proceed In my Esteem springs from a Bastard Breed But Vertue is the Offspring of a God Vertue alone Legitimates the Blood. Ex. SCENE The Palace Enter Barzana and Oronte Ba. How Chain his King oh execrable Wretch Now I perceive whence springs my horrid Love. 'T is an unnatural fire rain'd down from Heaven To burn a bloudy Traytour in his Bed. I wonder not it never cou'd be quench'd I fasted wept and pray'd yet found no cure No safety even at the Altars of the Gods Love seiz'd me there and very well it might It has it seems Commission from the Gods. Or. Madam no doubt you have conjectur'd right A dreadful storm hangs over your Lord's Head So you the part most tender feel it first For else I know you cou'd controul your Love. But oh it is no more within your Power Than the day is for the same reason too 'T is hurry'd on by Heaven Ba. I 'm apt to think All Love is Fate the Will and Choice of Heaven Compelling ours But Fate to conquer me Has in brave Memnon gather'd for its aid All the Perfections that can be in man. Now who can stand under so great a force 'T is true I know my Temper is so firm Not all the Love and Excellence on Earth Can ever melt me down to one loose thought But yet the pain and sorrow of my Love Will throw me into the Grave Or. No Madam no Your Love will wear away by length of time Ba. Oh never Memnon's Charms are Powers Divine To punish the ill Father by the Son And I must love whilst Heavens anger lasts For ought I know to all Eternity Knocking Knocking I 'm overheard Oronte runs to the door Or. Lord Memnon's here Ba. Undone undone Thou hast betray'd betray'd me Or. No indeed Ba. Thou hast thou false thou wicked cruel wretch Not Heaven it self can make me happy now Except by falling on my cursed head Fall on me Heaven sink beneath me Earth Any thing swallow me but Infamy But I will stop its course cost what it will. Who is there Enter a Woman Wo. Madam Ba. Run and call your Lord. Or. Hold Madam hold oh do not take our Lives Before you know our Guilt Ba. Is it not plain Can he have innocent Affairs with me Th' address alone is highly Criminal It wou'd undo my Honour were it known Do Persian Ladies that regard their Fame Hold any secret Entercourse with Men No no he comes to do his Father wrong And has it seems a secret hope I 'le yield Whence cou'd he have this hope but from thy self Thou hast half cur'd my heart I hate you both And I 'm resolv'd his Father shall know all Or. Oh! Madam hold indeed I 'm innocent Ba. What brings him hither then Or. I do not know Yet now I call to mind perhaps my Lord Has cast him off in compliment to you He said he wou'd and now Lord Memnon's come To beg your Intercession Ba. That may be It is well thought I 'm griev'd I 've censur'd him Now I will see him but I am afraid I shall be all Confusion and let fall That port of Honour I wou'd fain maintain Reach me a Veil to guard my Eyes and Heart And cover my disorders what I can Now call him in She veils and seats her Or. brings in Memnon Or. Madam my Lord is here Ba. My Lord I 'm to your Valour so oblig'd I 'm in confusion with the sence of it I am now discompos'd and cannot give Your Visit the Reception it deserves Pray if you have any Commands for me Express your will that I may know my own For I shall serve my self by serving you Me. Here 's more Encouragement Good Gods be prais'd Aside Madam when Fortune Heavens how I shake Aside When Fortune gave me pray be not displeas'd The Glory Kings wou'd purchase with their Crowns To save your Honour Liberty and Life She blest the Universe but ruin'd me By hopeless Love for you Ba. Oh! thou false Wretch Ba. rises in Anger and flings off her Veil Nay stir not trust my Mercy you had best To Or. My Lord I thought not to hear this from you So fam'd for every Vertue as you are I sooner shou'd have fear'd the fall of Heaven That I shall look for now nothing is strange And better Heaven fall than Innocence Therefore be gone and think of me no more Or else I will acquaint your Father all Me. Madam 't is done already e're I came I told him all and had his free consent Ba. Oh! horrour now 't is worse than I believ'd Aside This