hatred of your Families Au. True if the cruel nature of my Father Who thirsts after his bloud would not oppose us But here he comes and as my fears foretel me To reprehend me on this very subject To them Hostilius and Macrinus Hos Macrinus when the Romans surfeited With Roman bloud think fit to stop the torrent You like a generous adversary will Advance the publick good Mac. 'T is my first wish Thus to express my gratitude to you Hos Farewel and where the laws of arms permit you Be civil to my party Now Sophonia Exit Macr. Your obligations to Macrinus are Cancell'd by this his liberty I give him Which though you do not I count forfeited Sop. I must eternally record this favour Hos Aurelia 't was you and your intreaty Exit Soph. I sought to gratifie herein I hope When I grant your request that you will mine Which is at present to cast off thoughts of love Especially of Florus an Usurper As in the State so in thy breast now enterd Where love must have no harbor I shall find Passions more noble to possess thy mind Au. Sir if external beauty joyn'd with virtue Force love in womans heart it is no wonder Florus finds entrance here Sir let these tears Soften that breast which the age war and custom Seem to have armed so against compassion When you reflect On loves predominancy over all things Can you imagin that the soft and tender Breast of a young and inexperienc'd Virgin Can resist him who under the white snow Of reverend gray-heads kindles his fires and with his flames extinguishes the light Of the maturest judgements Hos Love exercises His power only where he finds consent An. No April tree when her green season 's past Shoots not forth into blossoms nor no Virgin Her Spring time come feels not the heats of love However O my erring soul and thou My captiv'd heart and you my thus misplac'd Affections bear me witness if I us'd not To comply with my Father all my forces To free my mind from these tyrannick passions But O alas the more I sought to break These fetters I in them was more intangled This love which in my breast insensibly It self insinuating there grew up Without advise of reason can't be now By reason either govern'd or extinguisht Hos Audacious creature were I not what thou Seems't to deny here an indulgent Father Thou from these hands at present shouldst receive shews her his sword Chastisement proper to thy insolence Which now falls on thee mitigated onely Into admonishment thy error is Th' error of love which is excusable In younger age confined within limits Excusable but when a royal Princess Hurri'd from love to madness by her passion Disdains the curbs of reason and of honor And yields her self up to my greatest foe This is a crime severely to be punisht and should be were I not assur'd of thy Future amendment but in the mean time Gives her a bloody handkerchif Wipe off thy tears for Florus here with this Au. What ominous gift is this Hos It is a token She startles Dipt in thy Brother Lucius bloud with which The hands of Florus as yet hot and distilling Must thee embrace Au. Death shall embrace me first In her cold arms What mutiny is here One of my chiefest vital parts has me Depriv'd of th' other Oh my Brother slain And by the hands of Florus just when he Has signifi'd his flames reciprocal And great as mine O my accursed fate Why we were twins bedfollows in the womb Companions e're born together united Before with life inspired in his death I 've lost my better part and can't survive She falls into a swoun With what is left me Hos Aurelia nay Aurelia Recall thy self thy Father is yet living He strives to recover her Thy loving Father who to thee shall be A Brother Mother all things reassume Thy life and courage Au. I do and find my self She seems to come to her self In this short transe so chang'd that now I 'm sorry I have no pentitential moisture left To expiate those tears against my duty Cast away on the love of Florus but You 'll pardon this defect desire of my Revenge so agitates my heart and raiseth Such violent motions in my troubled fancy Transporting all my thoughts and faculties To her tyrannique will like some vast flame Which all occurring obstacles consuming Transformeth them at last into her self Rage choller fury ofsprings of hell increase And multiply here in this breast which freely I open to you casting out all thoughts Of virgin softness or remorse hereafter These fountains of my eyes be ever dry My hands and tongue audacious to commit Mischiefs to terrifie mankind my looks Dissembling treacherous and fatal be To those they please the powers of my soul Let my rage rule and nothing it controul Hos Aurelia now thou shew'st thou dost inherit As well as Mothers beauty Fathers spirit Magnanimous revenge not love's a guest Fit to be harbor'd in a royal brest Exeunt Sophonia Macrinus Soph. O dear Macrinus hasten thy departure Hostilius must not know thy longer stay He thinks he gives what he can take away Thy liberty which I have so endanger'd Mac. I would expose my life much more what you Call liberty to serve your Majesty Soph. That word does but revive The memory of my unhappy fate Macr. weeps Which I would fain forget I prethee weep not Mac. Madam I must though I rejoyce to see Your virtue triumph o're your misery Soph. Thou seest Valentius finds his satisfaction In my supposed death Mac. The Gods we see Intend your happiness since sure by their Instinct he destines Florus for the Throne Sop. Macrinus thou wouldst fain revive my false And treacherous hopes but oh I fear the heavens Which see mee in my miseries grow old Will in them let me die but pray le ts see The way th' hast found excuse my vanity To save my reputation when I dye Mac. Here 's the Inscription which I have made of you The most unfortunate of women the suppos'd Sophonia was the true Palladia Empress and Wife of Valentius condemn'd by him upon a false suspicion but sav'd by Macrinus conscious of her innocence and virtue in testimony whereof he hath left these characters ingraved with his own hands This I have cut in several plates of brass Which fixt in walls and only incrusted over With a slight plaister in short time decaying Will clear your story to the abused world Soph. Honest Macrinus how much I fear I never shall this zeal of thine repay Once more farewel make speedy hast away Exeunt Florus Servilius Carbo Carb Though Courts have ever been The chiefest Theaters where love delights To represent his cruel serious follies Yet Camps are not exempted Serv. Yes Sir but The wonder is to see our noble Gen'ral Surpriz'd thus with the picture of a Lady Car. Why were you so Flo. Yes when the Roman Eagles
Victoriously under my conduct flew Through Italy reducing the Enemies power To the Precincts of Rome in the surprisal Of Sarnium I saw the picture of a Lady Drawn by the pencil of the famous Sanga Whose shape the very Goddesses would take Were they to make love here on earth again Ah how this object in the very moment Depriv'd me of my liberty so that My entrance there was servile not triumphal Car. To see arise in a great General Confusion from a Picture from a shadow Is very strange Serv. I thought A painted fire might deceive the sight But never raise a heat or kindle flames Flor. I grant this did not fame Paint out th' original substance of this shadow Above what fancy comprehends Eumolpus Has on this subject made a Song wherein He' has toucht the proper string of my affection With commendation of his friend the Painter Boy le ts see it go now and sing it SONG That divine form which thus deludes thy sense And holds thee gazing in a strange suspence The creature only is of Sanga's art Yet from these eyes love does his fires dart To them a lively speech his fav'ring hand Which to the tongue he never would impart Has giv'n like Sirens to betray thy heart Ah flye then 't is too late thou hast thy wound And there dost panting lye upon the ground My strange misfortune is that I Or rather my ill fate have fixt my love Upon an Enemy of Valentius So that if I pursue it I shall lose My Princes favour and if not I lose My soul my self Car. Why he is sick of my disease I love An Enemy of Valentius to Thee Aside Aurelia I gave my faith before Thy Father was declar'd his enemy Ser. I must condem this love Car. 'T is then with high injustice Ser. He 's guilty who hates not His Princes Enemies can you think him Then innocent who thus adores them Flor. Have patience only and Consider if th' admirer of this object Rather deserves reproach pity or envy shews a picture to them Car. What 's this I see aside startling I have defended here my Rival this Is my Aurelia's picture which I left her A pledge of my eternal love at parting Ser. This image so confounds my reason that Th' accused may justly absolve himself aside surpriz'd By virtue of his Judges crime I must Think of my duty to my Wife and Prince Flor. I perceive strange emotion In them but would not from their weakness seek Protection for my failings Why thus chang'd Come in and recollect your selves I 'le see If you are sick of my infirmity Exeunt Arsenius Honorius Ars disguis'd in habit of a common souldier Ars Behold us here arriv'd At the Tents of Valentius that I The General of Hostilius disguis'd In this vile habit of a common Souldier Expose my self to him my Enemy Are strange effects of love that liberty Which I give thee Thou in requital seems't to take from me Hon. Sir that you have restor'd me to my self And liberty I must confess but not That I thus seek to recompence your favour Express your meaning these words offend my honor Ars You have oft told me that Your General Florus was your greatest friend On which belief I let you know he was My only Son and how capricious fortune Had separated those minds and affections Which nature joyn'd Hon. 'T is true and I acquainted You with his love of your Princess Aurelia Well knowing the advantages you would Take to seduce him from his loyalty With so fair a temptation but know To this I then consented fearing that To take from noble vertue the occasion Of victory was to envy her triumphing Ars I hope his love of her will now extort That which the duty of a Father could not That 's his obedience since love ever finds His Empire greatest in the greatest minds though hitherto The vain and empty title of being loyal Prevail'd more with him then the entreaties of A most indulgent and a tender father Hon. Sir you are too indulgent who would thus Permit nay more perswade him to become A Traitor to his Prince the common Father Of us and of his Country and in whose Obedience though with loss of life and fortune He 's happy in performing thus his duty Ars Of all wild beasts which entrance find in Courts Malicious detractors are the worst Of all domestical these flatterers Which into Princes ears gently distill The poison of these maxims as if human Nature could thus comply with servitude Not foaming at the Curb Sir like sea waves Impetuously forc'd by several winds We are by the tempestuous torrents hurri'd Of rage ambition choller and revenge Of which the latter justly has provokt My indignation against Valentius Hon. Nothing can justifie these practises Against your Prince Ars But to the subject to return from which We deviate now I have of late obtain'd Aurelia by the consent of her Father In marriage for my Son to whom I lately Addrest a letter signifying the same shews him a letter Intending you the happy bearer of This grateful news of which another Copy I to Aurelia sent to shew my pen As forward as my sword in the procuring Hers and her Fathers interest but since Considering in desperate diseases That extreme remedies are best I 've chang'd My thoughts perswaded that a Fathers presence Will be more prevalent Then the mute eloquence of Paper so Behold me here arrived to procure An end to my calamities my Sons Greatest felicity the ruine of The persecutor of my life Valentius Hon. Give o're this rash discourse here thou shouldst die The sacrifice of my just indignation draws at him Wer 't not to envy thy brave Sons secure Triumphing over thy vain stratagems Dost hope through my protection to put Thy treacherous practice into execution Against my Prince the sound of this discourse More odious is to me then the noise Of chains or fetters which I 'le rather suffer These abject thoughts proportionate and proper Are to thy doating age attribute to Thy fortune of having so brave a Son puts up his sword The life thou receiv'st from these generous hands Ar. Is it a generous part thus to reward My benefit with this ingratitude Hon. A benefit conferred in the sense Of interest merits no recompence Ar. My forward love mistaken was to try To gain affection from an Enemy Hon. Thy hopes are vain it was thy error here With curtesie to ' abuse a Gentleman Ar. A Gentleman who such resentment shows The man to whom his liberty he owes Hon. Can he be author of my liberty Who would engage me in this treacherie Ar. Sir is it treacherously or nobly done To reconcile a Father to a Son Hon. A Father he who seeks to rob a Son Of his true honor and reputation Ar. Honor to spend his youth and time and die In service of his Fathers Enemy Hon. His respect to his Father must give way To that of
when these fierce Combatants In duel are the heart too narrow a field For two such Foes groans languishing in torment Till one the victor shall subdue the other As here Disdain has Love in me by force Compelling me to act a damned part Against my nature conscience and my heart My honor does depend upon his death aside And yet perchance my life depends on his But I am now engag'd past all retreat Flo. O my Aurelia pardon this presumption If I am bold to call you so upon So new acquaintance my love 's of longer date Au. And so is mine however that love's poor Which time requires to grow up to perfection Mine of another nature was at once Finding conception and maturity Both at first sight of you Flo. But what was stranger I found my heart enflamed from the shadow And picture of you only from dead colours Love first found life in me I selt the heat Before I saw the light wonder not then If I stand trembling in the presence of My Goddess when the lustre of her only Image I could not with these eyes sustain Which from that time is ever in my thoughts Au. 'T is long amongst your very enemies That fame has painted your illustrious person Heroique actions though perchance with colours Defective from the life and your great merit Wonder not then that I forgetting my Imperial dignity and virgin blushes And other ceremonious restraints So suddenly am thus become your captive Flo. Can this be true Aurelia can the heavens So prodigally pour on me their blessings Au. To see you and to fall in love with you Sir things are different but by those heavens You mentioned happened to me in one moment Flo. Why should we fear that time should then destroy What time did not produce that 's our affection Au. 'T is true but violent flames like ours we see Consume their nourishing fuels and themselves And we think happier those whom love inspires With moderate heats with moderate desires Which keep themselves alive like glowing fires Flo. My life my soul my dear Aurelia Make here no mention of sinister surmises My brest not comprehending well the greatness Of my felicitie gives place too fast Already to my fears I cannot think My fortune unforeseen will constant prove Au. Sir you may fix her if you l execute What the sense of this Letter will perswade you Gives him a Letter which he reads as follows Flo. Florus I have through my affection to you restored to liberty your friend and my prisoner of war Honorius who has discover'd to me your secret love of our Princess Aurelia from whom I have obtain'd a correspondent affection for you by the consent of her Father who much desires to adopt such a Son for his Successor in the Empire The affection and interest you have in the Army ministers a fair occasion of revenging your self of a cruel adversary of your Father by disarming Valentius of his chiefest forces I expect your sodain answer and concurrence to your own happiness Arsenius What 's this I see new treacheries against me This Letter is writ by Arsenius How comes Aurelia to present it who aside Declares her self enemy of Hostilius Can she dissemble a person of such honor Au. What strange suspension is this which I see Sir in your thoughts and looks suddenly chang'd Be resolute the question 's only here Whether you will concur in the procuring Your Father's happiness your own and mine Flo. I can no amorous correspondence purchase At such a rate thus forfeiting my honor Au. Sir 't was plebeian folly Which first rais'd Idols and then worshipt them And amongst others this of honor but I hope your thoughts fly higher not confind Within the limits of law custom justice Shackles for Common people not for Princes Great Ravagers of sea and land like you Flo. Unhappy Florus what a coelestial shape A Fury here has taken to betray thee Vile woman take thy Letter throws back the Letter Inveigle some less cautious with these arts I lov'd thee whil'st I thought thee lover of Thy honor but do now as much detest thee As I do thy most detestable crime I could now kill thee for though little honor half draws VVould in 't appear the action commendable Would be to purge the world of so infectious A Pestilence yet live thou wilt resent puts up Thus I believe the greater punishment Au. Aurelia now 't is time to come to action Repentance is too late crimes of this nature If once begun are ne'r secure till finisht Friends Officers Commanders hasten To the defence of a distressed Lady cries out near the Tents An innocent Virgin an unhappy Princess To them Valentius Statilius Fulvia c. as out of the Praetorian Tents Val. VVast you Aurelia who made this outcry Au. Yes great Valentius t was I 't was I The most unfortunate Aurelia To whom no place I see will afford refuge For what security can I my self Promise from your protection when your Gen'ral My Fathers private friend threatens by force To bring me back to his Camp perswaded by This Letter which he has cast into my hands gives the Letter to Valentius That I fondly in love must yield my felf His prey to satisfie my Fathers pleasure My present enemie who persecutes My honor dearer to me then my life His rage has been so violent on my Refusal that he drew his sword upon me A poor distressed woman Deny this Villain if thou canst see there His sword yet scarcely sheath'd Flo. Sir hear me speak Val. Perfidious Traitor interrupt her not Au. Sir I hope You 'l as a Prince your patronage afford kneels To the distrest and as a Judge condemn So foul a criminal Look on me not as Daughter of a Tyrant And of your Enemie but as the Niece Of Fulvia your pious virtuous Empress rises If I cannot obtain revenge I 'le rather Chuse gloriously to die by my own hands Then afford matter to anothers crime Here I swear by those Gods who see me injur'd Flo. Your Majesty will let me speak Val. I will not O ye coelestinl powers in what strange darkness Are our human affairs involv'd from you We know not what to ask or what to fear So off our wishes prove our fatal ruin So oft by what we feard we are preserv'd I never sought your favours with such fervent Prayers for my self as for this monster whom Mov'd with a false inspired love I have From his green years here foster'd in my bosom Preserv'd his beauteous youth from all abuse And afterward before his age admitted Heap't honors on him to afford him matter In all the three parts of the world of Triumph Where I have made his name glorious and fear'd That at the last I might fear him my self Ful. Sir I could wish you 'd read His Fathers private Letter but alas I fear 't will turn your passion into rage Val. I will to disarm him of all excuse He is
this piece to the best rules of Art in all the parts Though my Opposers have presum'd to condemn it cleer throughout but especially in the fifth Act which they have concluded senseless and void of all art and reason With which as the head of man is with intellectual faculties it should be chiefly enricht And so the Reader shall perceive it if he please rather to direct himself by the rules of solid Science then the dreams of these Persons For here he finds himself arriv'd at the end of strangely astonishing disasters yet confin'd within the limits of Probability without having the least reason to demand how he has been conducted or by what means they have been wrought Though in the passage as I may say they have been wholy surprising and left him every where at a loss This rule I have observ'd throughout the Play to please the judicious who still watch and expect things unexpected And I believe will scarce find here one anticipated action or event For the Dream of Valentius though it seems to give a manifest overture of the consequence yet the obscureness is so dark that it deceives not only Him but the very Audience the fatal thunderbolt falling unseen and unheard in the midst of them And here occurs in the Person of Valentius what Aristotle admires in Oedipus confessing human wit can invent in this kind nothing beyond it For he incurs those very misfortunes which with all imaginable care he shun'd condemning his Son without knowing him and after death knowing him without all benefit which makes him the best and greatest of all Tragical Subjects The narration I have made cleer pathetique and short including a story curious and therefore not taedious To shun which fault I have also interrupted it with the doleful exclamation of Valentius in the Agnition of his Error Which to judicious ears appears the most melodious part in Tragical composition In the escape of Fulvia I have follow'd the example of Medea which by the subtile and judicious Castelvetro is only censur'd for the want of preparatives the foregoing parts having nothing contributed to this strange action Which is here contrary and the conveyance more rational Which my opposers should have remarkt And how the great Catastrophes in this Play proceed from no external helps or new faces unseen before but from the interweaving of the intrinsecal parts of the Subject And how I have not defil'd the Majestique Grace of a Tragique Theater with the company of any vile Plebeian Persons though the Plot has been so variously intricated They should lastly have taken notice that here is nothing Episodical which I have not made essential in the construction of the Story from whence arises the graceful Vnion An observation to be wisht more in fashion For it is this Vnion which like Harmony in Musique gives the last perfection and beauty to all Subjects moral as well as natural DRAMATIS PERSONAE VAlentius Roman Emperour Major Mohun Florus whose other name is Vespasius General of Valentius proving at last to be his Son Mr. Kynaston Honorius Friend of Florus Epicurean in his opinions Mr. Bell. Statilius A Military Councellor and Favorite of Valentius Mr. Lyddel Macrinus A great Person vulgarly passing for the Father of Florus Mr. Beeston Servilius Great Courtiers and Commanders of Legions Mr. Harris Carbo Great Courtiers and Commanders of Legions Mr. Littlewood Fulvia Roman Empress in love with Florus The young Mrs Marshall Antonia Lady of Honor to Fulvia and Wife to Servilius Mrs. Kneap Hostilius Tyrant of Rome Mr. Watson Arsenius General of Hostilius and thinking himself Father of Florus Mr. Cartwright Aurelia Daughter of Hostilius of singular beauty belov'd of Florus Mrs Boutell Sophonia Her Governess who proves to be Palladia first Wife of Valentius supposed long before dead Mrs Cory Courts Men Women Officers Attendants c. The SCENE of this Drama or Action is about the Banks of Tiber where Hostilius and his Party are suppos'd to be in Rome or on the Roman side of the River And Valentius with his Party encampt on the other side in the nature of Besiegers THE Roman Empress ACT. I. Hostilius Courtier and Court-Attendants The SCENE expos'd of a Battle newly fought Court THe Enemy Sir is at last retreated Almost with equal loss after a cruel And bloody fight excepting that young Lucius Prince of the Roman Youth and your brave Son As yet appears not your Camp-master below Attends to give you an exact relation Exeunt Host I come in the mean space see that my Daughter Enter Aurelia Sophonia Attend me here Co. I shall Madam I was Just coming to inform your Princely Highness How his Imperial Majesty intends To find you in this place Au. Depart He shall Sophonia Aurelia weeping So. Madam I should esteem the tears you shed At a great value did they ease those griefs They thus lament but they rather increase them Clear those bright lights then from those misty clouds Au. My dear Sophonia Whose milk first gave me bloud whose bosom life Add this to those thy other benefits To let me thus consume my self in tears Which are so just thou seest My Fathers power which lately had no other Bounds than the boundless Ocean and the Heavens Contracted to the Walls of Rome confin'd Here to the Banks of Tiber where we suffer Defeats upon defeats no funerals see Of Parents Friends Allies which make not up Their horrid train with funerals of others I fear the issue of this cruel fight Wherein my Brother was engag'd New horror Besides from ill presages of my mind Torments my fancy Soph. These thoughts and fears unworthy are to enter The breast of my Aurelia but are inmates Fit to be entertain'd by such are born To the distaff and obedience you the Daughter And Niece of Emperors markt with the stamp Of Majesty Imperial and of Beauty Are destin'd when that Rome shall choose her Head To be Commandress of that great Commander Or rather by the honor of your bed To shew who 's proper to be Romes great Head Compose your self your tears and grief asswage By timely marriage and stop this civil rage Au. From funeral to those of nuptial rites The passage will seem strange the heavens change not So suddenly but 'twixt the day and night They interpose the mornings dusky light Soph. The morning's gay and pleasant dissipates Nights horror so let mirth begin in you A day of jollity which may not know What setting is Au. Which to me cannot happen thou hast known My heart Sophonia and what a cruel part Love there has acted for I told thee how When I last passed to the Enemies Camp In my disguise as I must now again I fell in love with Florus their brave Gen'ral And so became a captive of the greatest Oppressor of our Cause and Family Soph. Madam Arsenius has inform'd you how He 's more surpriz'd with you so that two flames Love never better kindled to extinguish This mortal
his true Prince who all must sway Ar. Mans first and greatest duty from the tye Of nature comes not human policy Hon. Nature must yield to reason which thinks fit Privat to publick int'rest should submit Ar. Go to thy Son Arsenius and try If he be cruel like thy Enemy Hon. Go to thy Son Arsenius there 's his Tent A Fathers ignominy there lament points to the Tents of the Camp And a Sons glory as thy punishment ACT. II. Fulvia Antonia Attendants Ful. ALl but Antonia leave the place Excessive griefs Antonia receive No mitigation from advice of friends And such are mine so that if I implore Assistance I exasperate them more Ant. Madam what causes this strange alteration So many nights your eyes have seen no sleep Which chang'd of late have lost their usual lustre Your looks and speech are not accompany'd With their accustom'd graces as some sick Persons in cold languishing all the night With feavors burning at th' approach of light Just so your Majesty the Sun offends When he his course begins or when he ends Th' arrival of the night gives you no ease That of the day your torments does increase To me your servant why d' you thus affect To hide the cause who tell you the effect Ful. What shall I do confessions of our crimes In Princes are worse crimes then they themselves And which if I strive longer to conceal aside This forced silence will at last reveal Let then my will Which in an Empress should be sole Commander The voluntary first eruption make Antonia thou shalt now know my disease But let compassion mollifie thy heart Conformable to the grief which I suffer Who the distress'd relieve must first resent And feel the torment of the Patient Florus that name so grateful to Antonia But more to me Florus I say to thee so acceptable Ant. Madam 't is true 't was he Who first to my Servilius me united Ful. And me has disunited from my self My Prince the world and all things but himself Florus more fair more beautiful than is Morning or midnight star more lovely then The pleasant Sun himself when he shines through The golden Fleece of the coelestial Ram. O how I am With love transported Ant. True But 't is I hope of your Valentius Ful. No 't is not yes it is I mean of him Not what he is but what he was in Florus Me thinks I see Valentius reviv'd And my old flames Love has Retrac'd the same imaginations in My fancy which kindled my first desires Nature gave the same features to their faces And to their minds and bodies the same graces Such sprightliness was in Valentius looks When first he courted me Such was his comely gesture when on horseback The stately courser proud was of his burden Thus smil'd he thus he frown'd and in his anger Became more lovely from the change of passions Marvel not then that so great a Commander So soon has conquer'd and inflam'd the breast Alas of a poor Lady Ant. These heats should be supprest in their beginning Ful. And so they might did they like other fires Grow by succession but they masterless Like lightning found expansion in an instant Through all my veins inflaming all my spirits Ant. Cast off these vain surmises and be sure the thought you may be cur'd is half the cure Let not your Majesty herein persever We safely sin sometimes securely never Strangle these vile thoughts in their infancy Ful. This I have oft endeavour'd but in vain So whilst that I Am thus consum'd by an internal fire Scarce daring to let it evaporate In words in sighs in tears like other lovers The heat increasing multiplies within My breast and will I fear at last for want Of vent destroy me Ant. Madam these thoughts should have no vent but find At once their birth and burial in your mind Ful. My vital heat and this more vital of My love are substances inseparable Nay if the nature of my soul shall not prove Mortal I fear that will not of my love So that to save my honor if I die I am not sure to end my miserie Wilt thou not then afford me thy compassion Ant. To her who voluntary casts her self In miserie what pity can be due Ful. O 't is against my will love like a Tyrant has Reduc't my soul and all her faculties In vassalage Virtue le ts fall her arms As weak and useless ' against such pow'rful charms Ant. Think on the violation of your faith Ful. I have and find that constancy is only A force imaginary in us women I find it by my self Ant. But not by others Ful. Canst see me perish and afford no succour Ant. Want of assistance in this kind preserves you My succor in this case would make you perish Ful. Thy Empress submissively intreats And wilt thou not obey Ant. learn to command And first your self and then I shall obey I am your servant not slave of your vice Ful. Canst thou a Lover be and yet so cruel Ant. My love I keep confin'd within due limits Ful. Contrivers of crimes secretly committed In Courts securely still advance themselves Without the loss of fame or reputation Ant. We doubly erre if erring we procure Th' opinion that we have conserv'd our honor Ful. If we approve in Princes Actions unjust for private int'rest why not Those more excusable for private pleasure A hidden fault was never entire crime Ant. That which is voluntary is entire Ful. But not in Princes who being publick persons Their vices if not publick are not vices Nor private virtues esteem'd Princely virtues 'T is cruelty not to assist th' afflicted Ant. Not when contrivers of their own misfortunes Ful. O thou art obstinat Ant. 'T is constancy Ful. 'T is cruelty Ant. 'T is generosity Ful. Ingratitude in the most high degree Ant. Greatest beneficence Ful. Thy Princes hater Ant. A lover of her honor and my own Ful. No more Antonia shall I live or die Ant. Then loss of honor death's less miserie Ful. What shall I do my reason having lost Whiles fury guides me I rove strangely tost I know not where but certainly astray Where honor suffers mad love to lead the way Exeunt Arsenius Honorius Florus putting up his sword Flo. No no I can't believe it 't is almost Impossible that he should be my Father Who seeks thus to deprive me of my honor In forfeiting my duty to my Prince Acknowledge in pure gift Thy life from my unlucky ignorance Of him who is my Father Hon. Brave Florus this new field maintain Which virtue has laid open with intention To signalize thy valor in all kinds Nature her self thou here subduest not words Of human art or hand and which is most None in this conquest but thy self can boast Ar. My Son Fl. My Enemy Ar. My only Son Flor. My greatest Enemy Ar. Thou know'st I seek Thy happiness and canst thou injure me Flo. Is this an injury to defend
of imperial Majestie Or lose the hopes else of an ardent lover Rebellious passions of my distracted soul Fear love desire envy why d'ye thus Torment my mind with separated factions Though thou art here a most unjust Usurper Love I 'le my self rather submit to thee Divided power is greater tyranny Speak then and hope happy success may make Our impious actions pass for honorable Much more the faults of love which in all brests Find their Apologies for no man shall Seeing Florus not absolve the Criminal And Ladies which have known him cannot chuse But say the cause brings with it the excuse To her Florus O here he comes As I expected Florus I hope you have Confronted the Original with the Pourtraict I gave you and are pleas'd with both Flo. Your Majesty was not deceiv'd I shall Declare my self an enemie to those Who shall their treacherie practise on that beauty Ful. Now I am happy I perceive he loves me aside Let no suspicious gelosie torment you You only then need fear a Rival when Another Florus should be like your self Flo. In brests where love has no admission found Gelosie can find none he need not fear A Rival who no lover is Ful. Not you A lover can I be so much deceiv'd Flo. Yes when my reason shall direct the passion Ful. Love joyn'd with reason Is a monster and not that noble ghest Which should command all in a Princes brest Fear counsel reason either chasing thence Or else reducing to his obedience Flo. My honor then must regulate my actions Ful. Which never should inspire a noble heart With cruelty but rather with compassion Of a distressed Lady Florus you Knew that to be Fulvia's Picture I gave you Flo. 'T is true and as I think by some mistake Unluckily convey'd into these hands Ful. No Sir be not deceiv'd the present was Made by mature election Flo. I reverence it as your gift and as The Pourtrait of my Soveraign adore it Ful. The name of Soveraign is unsuitable To my affection or my present state Call me your servant that familiar tearm Becoms him who predominats o're all The powers of my soul Disdain not one who ever hath preserv'd Her reputation unstain'd her faith Inviolated and to you alone Commits them both one action of my life Should not reproach me with inconstancie Compassionate an Empress who entreateth That used to command O Florus put A period to my life or to my torment Flo. O ye immortal Gods aside Can you see this offence and suffer it I hope your Majestie will harbor thoughts Which more become your royal dignitie And of your own dishonor and my shame In hearing mention'd this licentious flame Ful. If it be lawless 't will the more aspire Resistance will prove vain to my desire Flo. O Madam let reason triumph above This passion and honor over your love Think how I am the Subject of Valentius Ful. Sufficient curb to this repulse should be The thought how a great Empress loves you and Loves you alone and the Commandress of The world submits her self to your commands Flo. I can't conceive your Majestie as Empress But at that time Wife also of my Soveraign Ful. If you desire happiness think only Of my Imperial dignitie and power Flo. Who by their passions thus enslav'd have lost Their libertie cannot of power boast Ful. If thou despisest an obsequious lover Thou shalt the rage fear of an incenst Lady Flo. I apprehend more danger from the love Then anger of her who despises honor Ful. If thy audacious insolence contemns My threatnings their effects shall make thee tremble Flo. No violence no hidden treacherie Can affright him who never fear'd to die Ful. If that which I intend An ignominious death cannot thee move Thou hast less sense of honor then of love Flo. Which cannot be when the occasion only Springs from the hatred of an immodest woman Ful. Thou shalt feel miserie Flo. I can conquer it Ful. Thou shalt repent Flo. No I am ever constant Ful. I le be reveng'd Flo. I can defend my self Ful. To slight a Lady never was unpunisht Flo. Offence of honor can't be tollerated Ful. My hatred now shall equalize my love Flo. And my contempt my former reverence Ful. O thou unhappy Fulvia what does it Avail thee to be Empress of the world And canst not make thy self belov'd or fear'd Flo. O miserable Florus to what purpose Can serve thy innocence if thou becom'st The odious object of anothers crime Exit Ful. Ah cruel creature he is gone if ever Any had cause to murmur against nature 'T is I in giving him so like Valentius A form and shape fatal to my repose I cherisht the first heat enter'd my brest Insensibly as an acquainted ghest But seeking after how it did aspire I found my nuptial torch lighted this fire So that I can't reproach my self with shame My first and lawful love kindling this flame Then all the fault 's in him who thus rejects me O thou disdain the conquerour of love Which conquers all things else enter my brest There till revenge expel thee take no rest Incenst by thee let all my spirits aspire Mixing in combat with this tyrannique fire For victorie A Princess thus incenst With love and rage thus more is to be fear'd Then cruel fires fierce plagues devouring seas Or what most terrifies our human nature To her Aurelia Au. You Majestie is much perplext that passion Is alwaies great which can't contain it self Ful. I must conceal to her th' unlucky motive aside Of my disturbance Alas Aurelia My miseries are ever fruitful in Producing others scarce my tears are dry'd For the late losses of our Family But I must new supplies find to lament The fresh disgrace now falling on my issue Au. Who can be so unjust to injure you Or who can be so arrogant t' offend That pow'r which is so armed for revenge Ful. Valentius enemie of his own children Because I think they 're mine or else because They' are Nephews of Hostilius your Father Intends that Florus shall be now advanc't To the Imperial dignitie to their And my perpetual reproach that Florus Th' oppressor of my Father and who seeks The ruin now of yours Au. A happy occasion Opens a field to the triumphant passage Of my revenge I can my self disclose Now to so great an enemie of Florus aside O let that beauteous serenitie Madam return which us'd t' adorn your looks Y'have open'd your disease To the Physitian who alone can cure you Ful. Who you become of late an enemie To your own father interessed in The quarrel of Valentius against him Au. Your Majestie 's deceiv'd I only act A counterfeited part I have defam'd My Father as attemptor Upon my virgin modestie that I The better might secure his tott'ring power I fain my self in love with Florus and My flight here to Valentius as my refuge That I more safely may procure their ruin Ful. Aurelia we are
then in the same int'rest Will and affection more conjoin'd then bloud Au. Arsenius has let me know Of late a secret which will raise your wonder How Florus is his Son and how he is In love with me seeking a mutual love Which understanding with notice of my Father I fill'd the old mans head with hopes and joy Of my affection for his Son to whom he has shews her a letter A letter writ here on that very subject Apt either to make him desert his Prince In hope of gaining me or else t' accuse him Of treason in his correspondence with Arsenius enemie of Valentius Who thus abus'd shall see himself depriv'd Of this his Gen'ral our great Adversary Ful. My Brothers present danger and my Sons Disgrace whose fame Florus eclipses makes Him subject of my hatred and the mem'ry Of my poor Father murderd by Valentius Makes him alike Au. Madam then let us strive To be reveng'd of both And with an emulation who shall put Her malice into speediest execution Not doubting of success 'T is great assurance To those who seek revenge to have so faithful Companions in the stratagems as you have Ful. 'T is true my dear Aurelia let me embrace thee For this thy brav'ry though I envy it So far advancing thy unriper years Au. This day shall shew here what the furious rage Of an ambitious Lady can produce And the interest and gelosie of State And emulation Madam of your glory Ful. Expect from me all that can be expected From a contriving subtle wit and cunning Hypocrisie joyn'd with a perfect malice Au. Let Florus let Valentius perceive Th' entrance of Aurelia in their Camp Let fear and modesty companions of Our sex so much enclin'd to virtue be Now cast off by the thoughts of our revenge Ful. My passion shall esteem no sin unlisenc'd In me let one crime still beget another And let it not be thought a crime which does Not multiply it self in many others And ever with increase the latter greatest Au. Madam mistake not and let nothing pass With us for criminal but what is virtuous Ful. 'T is the delightful fruit of vice to think That no vice which is caus'd by interest Au. True of our selves better then that of state Which no great Prince values at any rate Ful. They never else in Court or Camp would find With all their pomp tranquility of mind Au. 'T is on this ground that I 'le prepare to act Those things I cannot think unless enrag'd Posteritie shall ever curse though scarce Believe that which I 'le put in execution Ful. Compar'd with me thou shalt as innocent Appear and did the state but know how high The provocation is of my disdain It would with trembling fear the consequence Au. Who injur'd me the favor shall not have To die unless that I accompanie That death with an eternal infamie Ful. That merits not the title of revenge When we destroy and enemie and give Leave to his reputation still to live Exeunt Valentius Florus Statilius Honorus with Court-Attendants Val. Since not as yet possest of Rome we cannot Express our joy with usual festivals For this adoption of Florus in the Empire Le ts see what sports and what divertisements Our Camp affords us in our slaves and captives Here very conveniently may be brought in some divertisements of the Stage Val. I never lik't the fancie of Augustus Nor of some other Princes who have from The vices imperfections of successors Sometimes their Sons Brothers nearest Allies Sought to illustrate to posteritie Their shameful glory so injurious to them And to the present age A solid virtue Needs no such foyl or shadow to set off Her beauteous lustre and this is the reason Why I omitting my own issue joyn'd To me in bloud not virtue Florus have Destin'd thee for my successor and to morrow Companion and Collegue in my great Empire Sta. Your Majesty declares in this Election No passion has an influence o're your judgement Val. Since 't is not in my power to create him Heir of my bloud I 'le make him of my glorie But Florus why amaz'd thy merit should Prevent thy marvel at thy high advancement Honor should ne'r surprize a noble brest But enter as a long expected ghest Flo. My silence was th' effect of grief and wonder The last occasion'd thus to see a Father Devest himself of natural affections To represent a Prince more absolute My sorrow from the sense of envy springs Which will pursue so great prosperitie Val. Your grief were juster if your exploits had not Deserved envy and your wonder if Your merit had not forced this Election Hon. he need not envie fear who by his actions Worthy of envie has secur'd himself In a safe station above the reach of envie Flo. The title of Caesarean Majestie Is too illustrious for my extraction The charge too weighty for these shoulders which I fear will faint under their glorious burden Sta. Who first knows how to rule himself like you Seems destin'd by the providence of heavens For the command of Scepters and of Empires Val. Fear nothing Florus chearfully assume This greatness as thy valors recompence A purchase which with loss of bloud life honor So often is sought after by ambition For the proud man finds that the boistrous floud Which rowls him to this Port still runs in bloud Exeunt ACT. IV. Valentius Carbo Antonia Val. NOw I perceive as thou hast told me that This my erroneous pursuing of The customs of Princes my Ancestors Which makes me as I write and speak with pens And Tongues of other men just so I hear My informations with the ears of others Has led me in a labyrinth of errors Where truth could never find me out had you Not been her trusty guides For thou O Carbo Must be content to have this noble Lady Companion in thy glory Car. I am proud of it Val. 'T was she who first made known to me from whence Arose the clouds which have of late eclipst The mirth and beautie of my dearest Consort I say 't was she prepare thy faith to hear Far greater wonders than thou hast related This Traytor Florus in the presence of This noble Lady has solicited My Empress O horror to betray My honor nay startle not that 's my part Whom the world falsely calls the great Valentius Car. I was surpriz'd but thinking how the greatest Of vices is ingratitude there 's none Of which I think he cannot be found guilty Val. This I confess but alass here his utmost Cruelty should have spar'd his Prince I am The soul diffus'd through the vast body of The Empire thus expos'd in all parts to His wounds and injuries at least herein He should have had compassion of his friend His Benefactor Father by adoption Which merits more then if I were by nature Car. Sir he has told me he esteem'd all things Lawful to gain an Empire or a Mistress And in a scorning manner
oft would say In other things let justice be observ'd Val. O ye immortal Gods why has your care Given us a touchstone to distinguish our Adulterate gold and no mark to discern The treacherous hearts of false perfidious men If this be true Confound him with your sharpest thunderbolt But 't is too true and if I further stay To question it I fear I shall become Procurour of those dire events upon me Portended in my last nights dreams to happen Within so short a time Antonia retire I 'le have a care To vindicate my honor his proud Laurels Which from Joves thunder are secure I 'le blast But let this secret make no further progress Ant My prudent care shall not fail to correct This fault to which our sex is incident Val. A Prince who tolerates a known disgrace Becomes the subject of the vulgar scorn Ant. Honor once sought to be betray'd is never Secure so long as the Offendor lives Val. Gelosie entred in a Prince no other Assistant needs to hasten his revenge Ant. Which when it is of a slow pace we find 'T is signe of weakness in a Princes mind Let him th' effects Sir of your anger prove Who thus hath undervalued your love In prudent Monarques like your self t' appear Not to be fear'd should be your only fear Exit Car. You Majesty's perplext Val. But why should I So low thoughts of my self have and so high Of his bold insolent temeritie Good Carbo have the patience to repeat Thy story over though in it ev'ry passage Creates new wounds and ulcers in my soul Thou saidst the Master of my light Cavalrie Macrinus was not Father of this Florus But that Arsenius the sworn enemy of My person and my dignitie has made The world the present of this dissembling Monster Can this be so Car. Your Majestie may rest Can this be so Car. Your Majestie may rest Assur'd I heard it from his own relation And how besides he has in a disguise Converst here with him in our Camp where he Assur'd him of the consent of Hostilius For his obtaining of the fair Aurelia The Idol of his soul With the rich dowrie of the Roman Empire Val. Which his pernicious hopes securely streight Devour'd with consentment to my ruine Car. Yes and with invitation to my self Joyning with him to take part with Hostilius See where the Empress comes I take my leave Exit Valentius Fulvia Antonia Ful. Now if Antonia as thy promise was aside Thou hast distill'd the poison in his ears I shall perceive streight by the operation Val. My dearest Fulvia since all griefs and sorrows Divided are betwixt the Wife and Husband Th' occasions also should be so if then Antonia's care without your intimation Has let me know the cause of your distemper I must obtain her pardon let then thy Former serenity of looks dispel Those clouds of sorrow from that brow to mine Where they hang thick already but I 'le have Them washt away in bloud of the offendors Ful. With whose let mine be joyn'd Sir 't is the only Favor I beg here on my knees by all kneels The former merits with which the constant duty Of an obedient Wife has e're been able T' oblige a Husband by the rising hopes Of young Valentius and the other pledges And fruits of our so constant loves till now By this accursed accident disturb'd Val. They are not rise then O let me not see takes her up My idol thus bow and encline to me Ful. Sure you look on me with false eyes or else You see me chang'd into a loathsome creature Suspicion of guilt in an Empress makes her Seem foul and guiltie to her felf and others So I am in effect a Viper though He casts no poison forth his very touches Are venemous th' offring to embrace me In Florus has methinks with leprosie Infected all my parts Good Sir have mercie kneels again On your poor Fulvia here and let me die When life is now my greatest miserie Val. His bloud shall rather satisfie th' offence Who trespast on thy spotless innocence And though he seemeth at too cheap a rate By single death his crime to expiate 'T is recompenc't at once to see him die And live in a perpetual infamie Whilst thou the best of women glorie of embraces her The present age and honor of thy sex Shalt like a star of the first magnitude Shine glorious in the firmament of honor However yet my dearest Fulvia The heavens in their happiness delay Thy presence though so much desired there T' instruct the age is necessary here Ful. My noble Lord my dutie So hitherto obsequious to your will Shall strive then to obey your last commands Val. O now thou speakst like Fulvia and thy self Thy passions can never long transforme thee Come let us go to my Pavilion and Consult upon the manner how to put In speedy execution our revenge The just effects of which shall never cease Till in the Traitors bloud I find my peace Exeunt Florus Honorius Flo. 'T is strange methinks Honorius that you An Epicurean by Sect should be An enemy of love the greatest pleasure When once obtain'd in the enjoyment of What we call perfect beauty a happiness So frequently desir'd so seldom found Hon. The nature of true pleasure can't consist In the delights of love which leave the soul Not satisfi'd when the most satiated Whilst in her interchangeably there fight Restless disgust and restless appetite True pleasures no remorse but leave behind Them still a grateful odor in the mind Flo. They ill discourse of love who are no lovers Hon. It troubles me to see the royal fort Of noble Florus heart thus yielded up Flo. 'T is given up to him who conquers all things And will in time the brave Honorius brest Where virtue keeps so strong a garrison Hon. It must be weak if so contemptible An Adversary can his entrance force Flo. Neglect of the Enemy destroys the valiant Hon. The fear of him dejecteth noble spirits Flo. Who apprehends his Adversary may Preserve his honor though he lose the day Hon. Esteem of him is distrust in our selves Flo. A prudent fear companion is of valor Hon. 'T is rather of an irresolved mind To them Aurelia Flo. But stay behold here breaks the beauteous light Which will these difficulties cleer Honorius stand firm what means this change Honorius surpriz'd at her beauty Let not thy actions contradict thy words Hon. My hearts unmov'd but the external sense In such surprisals has no sure defence exit Au. Yonder he comes his eyes are fixt on mine Those false lights which will lead him to his ruine Love and Disdain two raging firebrands Are of the mind their common residence Is in the heart but raise a general Disturbance in the soul confounding all Her faculties They are of equal force Contending for the prize with emulation But in effect and nature contrary The one producing hatred and the other Gentle affection