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
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
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
reading the letter at some distance Ful. Now I triumph to see thy boasting fate Bow and submit it self to Fulvia's hate Au And from this moment I esteem my self To Florus apart Happy now I have made thee miserable Flo. O cruel creatures leave me to my self Au. No I 'le torment thee here when thou art dead My Brothers ghost shall act that part whom thou Inhumanly didst murder in cold bloud Flo. 'T was only by the chance of war he fell Au. Know once thou wert the only object of My love as now of hatred which when any Remorse of conscience would extinguish in me Plucks forth the bloudy handkerchef See here thus with that bloud I wip't away Ful. O my revenge sweeter then life or love Au. O how my joy increases with his torment Val. How much I was deceiv'd he shall streight die In reading the letter Val. often stamps and cries Traitor Shews the letter My dearest Fulvia what 's the matter with him Ful. He rages only to see himself discover'd Flo. Sir will your Majesty be pleas'd to hear me Val. Speak arrogant Traitor then only in answer To what I ask is this the writing of Arsenius confess is he thy Father Flo. Should I deny Arsenius Sir to be My Father I should be ingrateful to him Who gave me being which the Gods defend Val. It was thy choice then rather to express Thy gratitude to him a publick Rebel And Traitor to his Country then to me The common Father of her thy peculiar And so great benefactor See Statilius To have Honorius found out as I Believe confederate in this treason and Macrinus who perswading us he was The Father of him has conceal'd his true Extraction Sta. I shall obey Exit Val. Thy crimes so horrid are that with the greatest I can't reproche thee neither stands it with The reputation of a man of honor Much less a Princes dignity to speak them To them Honorius Arsenius Oh here opportunely comes another Conspirator Tell me vile man the reason To Honorius Of purchasing thy dear-bought libertie With prostitution of thy honor 't was Thou who discoverdst to Arsenius how Florus was ready to betray me when He should obtain Aurelia for his bed Therfore thou shalt fall with him it were pity That cruel death should separate that pair Which treacherous friendship has so fast united Ar. Unlucky son thus betray'd by thy self aside And I become a miserable Father In only seeking a Sons happiness Val. What he 's astonisht to be thus found out Hon. No 't is to have my faith suspected only Who with expence of bloud so oft have purchast The reputation of my Prince Ar. Infortunate Arsenius constrain'd Here to accuse thy self of guilt and die aside Dishonor'd to express a loving Father To him who scarce vouchsaf'd to be thy Son Val. When once thy actions have deceiv'd me I Should too incautious be to be surpriz'd With the fair language of discover'd traitors Ar. Ah cruel Prince if there be treacherie t is mine 'T is mine alone Florus is guilty of No other crime but disobeying of A Father in obedience to thee Which has alike Honorius made ingrateful To me the author of his libertie I am Arsenius and though I was Plucks off his disguise Injuriously upon a false suspicion Banish'd the Empire I 'le confess my self A criminal to save the innocent O spare a Son become an enemy To his own Father to obey his Prince O spare a Friend whose gallant braverie So nobly scorn'd my treacherous curtesie Let me fall with my bloud these gray hairs stain Who thus alone have my own ruine wrought The fittest sacrifice for thy revenge Val. Arsenius Arsenius here why this clears all my doubts Says this in amaze Flo. Unhappy Father this is to reproach A weakness in me not to think this heart Sufficiently couragious to sustain The injust indignation of one man Let not your Majesty deceive your self Had I not been incautious in my love My Father had not incur'd this suspisition Of treacherie not caus'd by malice but Compassion of rash folly in a Son Hon. Florus this language is offensive to Thy virtue and our friendship in supposing Your self the least way guilty in your life If you to envy subject were in death Be not to infamy Let glory triumph Over thy nature let thy Father perish Thy Friend thy self but let thy honor live Ar. My only Son let me fall by thy hands Compassion 't is not cruelty to take My life in my old age and save my honor Flo. Take rather Sir that life which you have giv'n To me now for my miserie already I for my glory have liv'd long enough Ho. Cheer up friends 't is for us who gloriously Have known the way to live so many years Easie to die like Romans in a moment Ful. Why thus amus'd Au. What do you ruminate To Valentius Ant. Sir as the case stands now your only counsel Is to take none Au. But think of execution Val. As a ship seeming with her ful-blown sails To make a high and rapid course sometimes Is checkt and drawn back by an unknown current So I methinks now ardently pursuing Revenge thus instigated by my reason And passion feel within me secret motives Which would retard my will But I must break Through these impediments They all shall die And from thee Fulvia shall receive their sentence Thou for thy answering my great benefits With an unparallel'd ingratitude To Flous Thou who preferd'st before thy loyaltie A friendship so dishonorable shalt Now see the fruits of thy unlucky choice To. Honorius And thou inur'd to treason who at last Betrayd'st thy self shalt see how the just heavens Convert thy crimes into thy punishment To Arsenius Thus Treason is discover'd in the birth The Gods of heaven protect the Gods of earth Ex. Val. c. Florus Honorius Arsenius manent Ar. Come let our minds be cheerful now they shall No longer pris'ners be we are just sailing Out of the narrow channel of this life Into the Port or rather boundless Ocean Of everlasting unrestrained freedom Ful. 'T is true we are now on the confines of That vast immense inconfin'd libertie Which men call Death Honorius if I lov'd thee So much here I shall more hereafter Hon. No Now comes the period of our friendship and Of what concerns us but our memory There 's nothing after death and death it self is nothing At least in all respects to us for whilst We are death is not and when death is We are no more and therefore nothing more Can us concern or humane nature when Our gross and airy parts are separated Ful. But the immortal soul Of the renown'd Honorius shall embellish The heavens where it shall give and receive New light and lustre and the just reward Of his so gloriously transacted life Hon. I ne'r indulg'd my self the libertie Of any vice as odious in its nature I ever honor'd virtue for her self And payd the tribute
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
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