Qu. Hah Think you that I will dye by formal law No when I 'm dead be thus my â—ame supplâ—'d She liv'd a murd'ress and a murd'ress dy'd stabs her self Justice would but my happiness retard Thus I descend below to a reward I shall be Queen of fate the furies there For me a glorious Crown of Snakes prepare I long to be in state my Lords farewell Now noble Charon hoyse up Sayl for Hell dyes Lord. Her Soul is fled Patr. With her for ever dye Her treasons and her odious memory But whither is the fair Draxilla gone Lord. Distracted at the miâ—chiefs that are done She 's fled but whither is to all unknown Patr. Quickly let after her be made pursuit I 'l ransack all the World to find her out Propitious Heav'n will sure to her be kind Enter Lord. 2 Lord. My Lord we in our votes have all combin'd To make you King the Camp with shouts and cryes Of joy send their loud wishes to the Skyes Shouts within Long live Patroclus King of Sparta Patr. Go bid 'em their unwelcome noise forbear Turn all their shouts to sighs of sorrow here Turns to the Bodyes Th' are gone and with e'm all I wish'd to keep Now could I almost turn a boy and weep My Friends my Mistress and my Father lost Never were growing hopeâ— more sadly crost Now fortune has her utmost malice shown She 'd court me with the flatt'ry of a Crown A thing so far beneath those joys I miss 'T is but the shadow of a happiness For how uneasily on Thrones they sit That must like me be wretched to be great FINIS EPILOGUE Spoken by Mrs. Mary Lee. NOW who sayes Poets don't in blood delight 'T is true the varlets care not much to fight But faith they claw it off when e're they write Are bully Rocks not of the common size Kill ye men faster then Domitian flyeâ— Ours made such Havock that the silly Rogue Was forc't to make me rise for th' Epilogue The fop damn'd me but e're to hell I go I 'd very fain be satisfy'd if you Think it not just that he were serv'd so too As he hath yours do you his hopes beguile You'â—e been in Purgatory all this while Then damn him down to Hell and never spare Perhaps he 'l find more favour there then here Nay of the two may chuse the much less evil If you 're but good when pleas'd e'n so 's the Devil ERRATA IN the Epistle P. 1. l. 14. for look to r. take P. â— l. 3. for should be concern'd r. should I be concern'd P. ibid. l. 17. for with all my best endeavours r. with it all my best endeavours P. 7. l. 4. for disadvantagious r. disadvantageous P. ib. l. 35. for exhaild r. exhal'd P. 8. l. 13 for vertue r. influence P. 12. l. 13. for hallow r. hallow P. ib. l. 29. for plagu'd r. damn'd P. 13. l. 4. for oh Heavens r. ye Gods P. ib. l. 29. for firmier r. 〈◊〉 P. 14. l. ult for Brows dart Majesty r. Brow darts Majesty P. 16. l. 2. for the custome r. our custome P. 19. l. 16. for vanâ—uish r. vanish P. ib. l. 19. for Tumultions r. Tumultuâ—â—s P. 21. l. 4. for to their â—ate r. so their fate P. ib. l. 9. for thus fair r. then fair P. 23. l. 32. for are approv'd r. were approv'd P. 27. l. 12. for heavy head r. hoary head P. 28. l. 10. for courage r. glory P. ib. l. 12. for friend r. feind P. 42. l. 32. for reviling r. revealing P. 49. l. 10. for be Chain'd r. lye Chain'd P. 53. l. 17. for that Dagger r. this Dagger
Should you betray me Qu. Nay now you are unkinder then before To my first Oath I 'l add a million more Tiss And you will still be mindful of the Crown Qu. Had he ten Thousand they were all your own Tiss This then 's his fate pitty a Crime were here He shan't have time enough to make a prayer draws a Dagger Qu. Be bold and prosper in thy brave design And when his death 's perform'd the next is thine aside Tiss This trap was dang'rously and subtly lay'd Exit But I am not so easily betrayd Her love to Alcibiades I know Her Woman for me did that kindness do And since she is so good at the design I 'l to oblige her give her one of mine My zealous urging of her Oath was done Not to prevent her plots but hide my own I 'l cherish her in all that she pretends So make her ayms but covers to my ends For when I 'm seated on the Spartan Throne Both her and all her Treasons I 'l disown Prove both her judge and her accuser too And on her my first act of justice do So all my doubts and fears will be o're-past And by her fall I fix my self more fast Exit Enter a Chair of State with a Table by it and upon that the Crown and Scepter Enter King and Lords K. My Lords no more w 'ave drank too deep I 'd now A while be private Lords Royal Sir we go K. Boy take thy Lute and with a pleasing ayr Appease my sorrows and delude my care Sits down SONG Princes that Rule and Empires Sway How tranâ—itory is their State Sorrowes thee gloryes do allay And richest Crowns have greatest weight 2 The mightiest Monarch treason fears Ambitious thoughts within him rave His life all discontent and cares And he at best is but a Slave 3. Vainly we think withâ— fond delight To ease the burden of our cares Lach grief a Second does invite And sorrows are each others heirs 4. For me my honour I 'l maintain Be gallant generous and brave And when I Quietude would gain At least I find it in the grave the King falls asleep Enter Queen and Tissaphernes with a Dagger Qu. He sleeps now let the fatal deed be done Hah what are these the Scepter and the Crown So did the drousie Dragon sleep when he Lost the rich fruits of the Hesperian Tree First we 'l secure his Crown and then he dyes Takes up the Crown Thus I 'm discharg'd of all my promises puts it on his head Take this and if I claim your promise too Y' are King and justice is your duty now Come by his fall This your first step to glory solemnize I make you King make him my Sacrifice Tiss I 'l do 't but stay advances towards the King Qu. Nay quickly to him go Sir he expects no Ceremony now Tiss Thus then I hah how alter'd am I grown I stand amaz'd and dare not venture on There is in Majesty a secret charm That puts a fetter on a Traytors arm I cannot do 't Qu. Then look on her that dares How despicable is the man that fears Give me the fatal Instrument of death My self will in his heart that dagger sheath takes his dagger from him Then blush to think if e're the World should know That a frail Woman durst do more then you Courage he smiles advances towards the King Some pleasing dreams his fancy entertain Oh it were pitty he should wake again Thus King thy life and Empire I command Accept this from thy Deidamia's hand Stabs him K. Hah murder'd Deidamia and by you What is 't that faithless Woman will not do Henceforth all Loyalty and love farewell When after ages shall this story tell 'T will be a truth too sad to be receiv'd Nor shall the World be by it self believ'd Did I for this ev'n Crown and Empire quit To lay all my Ambition at your feet When at the Altars strictest vows I paid Nor were they with less zeal perform'd then made I lov'd you far above that life y 'ave spilt Till ev'n my passion was become my guilt I for your sake depriv'd heav'n of its due Took adoration thence to pay it you And must this be th' reward for all I 've done Yet I shall have this comfort when I 'm gone That I no longer shall with thee remain But dye in hopes we ne're shall meet again dyes Qu. He 's gon and now my Lord Tiss Oh what is 't you have done A while lay your unruly passions down View but the sweet Composure of that face Where grandeur sat attended by each grace Now there grim death his gashly Revels keeps And pallid horrour o're each feature creeps Weep Madam weep to think your rage has giv'n That blow which robs the World to enrich heav'n Oh my dear Lord that er'e I liv'd to know This day Madam I can't conceal it Qu. Say you so But Sir I Scorn to be betray'd by you At the noise of People entring throws away the Dagger then falls upon her knees and layes hold of Tissaphernes then speaks Treason Treason Treason c. Is 't not enough y 'ave shed my Husbands blood Tiss The Devil Qu. And rob'd the World of all that 's great and good But you must seek my life On pitty take If not for mine at least for vertues sake Tiss Hell and Plagues Qu. But why do I name that for all that e're The World had left of it lyes murder'd there Tiss Very fine Qu. Yet though you 've rob'd him of his life save mine I 'l live to ask heav'n pardon for your sin Tiss So now I 'l stop your mouth Breaks from her and takes up the Dagger Qu. Help murder Treason help Enter Lords 1 Lord. How Tissaphernes arm'd against the Queen What means this posture Sir Qu. Oh noble Lord If e're your pitty could a tear afford Weep down an Ocean there behold the spring Of Sparta's hopes lyes murder'd in her King And had not I the traytors rage withstood He with my Husbands too had mixt my blood See where he guilty stands Lord. Great Agis slain By Tissaphernes too Qu. Yes he to gain The Spartan Crown this bloody deed haâ— done See he already has usurpt the Crown His hot Ambition could not bear delâ—ys But on the Royal spoyles thus 〈◊〉 preys Insults in 's treason Tiss I am now run 〈◊〉 So far that all hopes 〈…〉 But Madam can you dare to lay this guilt On me was 't not by you his blood was spilt Qu. By me base wretch would thy impiety Lay this inhumane regicide on me I wound this breast ah dearest Saint too well I knew thy worth weeps Tiss Death she 'l be Queen of Hell Pluto will grow in love with her for this 1 Lord. My Lord treason 's above all pardon Tiss ' t is Lord. Then Sir to justice Tiss No thus I deny presents his Dagger I liv'd not by it nor will by it dye
Was it for this my stratagems I lay'd To ruin her to be by her betray'd Curse on my narrow fate but yet to shew That I love murder too as well as you Thus perjur'd Queen offers to stab the Queen but is hinder'd by the Lords Qu. See how he 'd still pursue His Treason hence to justice with him go Hourly let on the Rack his pains encrease Till he the horrour of his guilt confess Tiss That shall not need I 'l own the deed as mine But glory in 't it was a brave design The King kill'd and I ruin'd to compleat Thy lust all by 〈◊〉 stratagem was great So great that for its sake I can with satisfaction yâ—ild my breath Else I should take no pleaâ—â—re in my death But e're I go be pleas'd to eâ—â—ertain The last kind precepts of a dying man Be bloody false revengful lustâ—â— That can be found recorded on Hells 〈◊〉 Embrace where-e're you rising vertue see Down with it and set up impietie Make that your theam leave nothing ill undone So copy Tissaphernes when he 's gon Who leaves this counsel as a Legacy 'T is my Religion and I 'l in it dye Exit Tiss guarded Qu. Hence with the wretch Mean while to my dead Lord I 'l sorrows pay And after his sigh my own life away So now they are gon hah who comes there Enter Ardella Ard. 'T is I. Q. Ardella on that thing cast back an eye 'T was once a King but thank these hands now none Nay start not Tissaphernes too is gon Ardella starts His treasures all are thine as a reward Ard. You are too kind Qu. See strait a draught prepar'd And Murderers Timandra next must fall You know our will let it be done Ard. It shall Exeunt severally SCENE a darkn'd Tent. Timandra asleep upon a Couch a Spirit comes and Sings Merli Come my Salla come away Thy Merli calls Salla within Whither Merli Hither w 'ave no bus'ness to day And where innocence sleeps we securely may play Salla I come Enters Merli So welcome my dear But first let 's disperse the black Clouds that are here Both. Round about this place we range And it 's gloomy darkness change To a bright delightful Grove A proper Scene for happy love The SCENE changes to Elizium Merli Next to divert this fair one all Our wing'd Companions we 'l call And the Ayr for musick charm Whilst they their measures here perform Both. Come all you bright forms that inhabit the Ayr And ease with your pleasures the cares of the fair Here frolick 〈◊〉 oh no longer delay But let each clap his wings and away Several Spirits of the ayr descend and Dance Salla Now let us discover the mansions of rest Where lovers with eternal joyes are blest A glorious Temple appears in the Ayr where the Spirits of the happy are seated See fair one see not long e're you To those glorious seats shall go Another Spi. The lustful Queen thirsts for your blood And you are for the World too good Merli Nor shall you come alone your lovers too Must meet a Fate the same with you Salla But here your troubles all shall cease 'T is the Seat of endless bliss Cho. Here in endless pleasures they Keep eternal Holyday Here they Revel Sport and are Crown'd with joys still new and rare Their pleasures too can never dye But like themselves have Immortality Merli See the kind Spirits smile and now They 'l bless her with a nearer view The whole body of the Temple moves downward Cho. Descend oh ye gloryes descend Who with blessings eternal are crown'd To this Nymph your kind influence lend Whilst all the Sphears with harmony resound Merli She wakes let the apparition go By th' damp upon my wings I know Something ill is drawing near Come Salla come away Oh come away my dear They all vanish and the SCENE changes again to the Tent. Tim. I 've had a dream might make a lover blest Oh th' sweet delights of everlasting rest Queen appears at the entrance How this the Queen what can her coming mean Qu. Ardella with the Ruffians here remain I 'l in and with soft words her temper try If without him she 'l live she shall not dye Madam to Timandra Tim. Your pleasure Qu. Oft' I 've heard y' are brave But the best proof of gallantry you gave When of your noble Lord you were bereft And such a bliss with so rare patience left Tim. Madam our flames a nobler passion rules Then fondness th' idle guilt of wav'ring fools Our loves knew a far higher excellence Then the half pleasures of a minutes sense Qu. Then you may love since you can with him part He has made a conquest o're my tender heart Love governs here and since my Husband 's dead Fate and my choicest wishes have decreed He should both in his love and throne succeed Tim. Do you believe Empires or Crowns can make Him his Timandra and his faith forsake Or think you I an Attome will resign Of that heart which by holy vows is mine No I will keep him maugre cruelty Qu. But Madam do you know what 't is to dye Tim. Yes 't is to lay these clogs our bodys by And be remov'd to blest eternity By death relief from all our griefs we gain And by one put an end to years of pain By that we in one minute find out more Then all the busie gown men study for Who after in dull search th 'ave ages spent Learn nothing but to know th' are ignorant Death is a blessing and a thing so far Above that worst of all our frailties fear It claims our joy since by it we put on The top of happiness perfection Quit him no never whilst I here have breath He 's mine in spight of cruelty or death Qu. Then enter ye grim Ministers of fate Enter Murderers with Poison Does not your stubborn courage now abate Tim. No my resolves more fixt and firm are grown Bring dreadfull'st racks and tortures yet unknown Provide one for each sense and then do thou Tempt me my love and int'rest to forgo Midst of my pains I 'l smile and tell thee no. Qu. But minion soon your insolence shall cease Come since such resolution you express Take this demur not do 't Gives her a bowl of poison Tim. And is this all I thought t' ave had a more Heroick fall Expected to have noblest tortures met Not by dull poison to have found my fate But any way I can thy pow'r defie 'T is for my Alcibiades I dye offers to drink Qu. Yet yeild and live Tim. Live what have I to do With life when giv'n by one so base as you Thus I despise it Drinks Qu. What dismal tortures strait will on her seize after Timandra has drank the Poison So 't was a health to Alcibiades Tim. Now blush at what thy impious rage has done My Alcibiades is still my own And if thou him embrace when I am