are low Which first made Fate and then to Fate did bow Nor War nor Love Sir are Resistless Powers Both have their Happy as Unhappy Hours But he who does for one Mischance Dispair Can ne're be prosperous in Love or War As I have told you what has rais'd your Grief So now I will present you some Relief For my informer Sir to me has swore That though the Prince your Mistress does Adore He hath not yet his Love to her disclos'd She therefore Sir has hopefully propos'd That you this moment to the Prince would go And let him from your self this Passion know His Friendship for you and so great a Trust Will make him cease to Love or be Unjust If Sir he does the first your End you win And by the last make Rivalship no Sin This Sir which She Proposes I approve King No Friendship ever yet could conquer Love He to that Passion vainly does pretend Who can resign his Mistris to his Friend I scarce can relish what she does advise It seems to me nor Generous nor Wise For in vain hopes of what it ne're will do I clearer shall the lesser Friendship show My Friendship too were guilty of a Crime Should his do more for me then mine for him Guesc. But e're her Council Sir you Disapprove Consider if you can forsake your Love King Sooner then I my Passion will forgo I will forsake my Crown and Friendship too Guesc. Then pray Sir follow what she does Advise And you will find 't is Generous and wise If to the Prince you first your Passion own You first do that which he first should have done And lay that Blame on him while this you do Which justly else he might have charg'd on you Since you will Court the Mistress of your Friend This is the fairest way to reach your End King I will approve that which you last did say And to attempt it will not time delay Exeunt King Guesclin and Page Val. Bro. In which of both does he not Guilty prove In his Dissembling or his change of Love There is but one way left that I can see To Cure or Punish his Inconstancy Exit Enter Plantagenet and Cleorin Cleo. Guesclin did shew no little Discontent When I refus'd the Gifts his King had sent Who since this way he does Successless prove He will himself declare to you his Love And Madam I believe King Edward too Will suddenly disclose his Flame to you Plan. Oh Cleorin how cruel is my Fate That those should Love me most whom most I Hate And he whom most I love in spight of 's Fault I fear of me scarce does admit a Thought Enter to them Alizia and Sevina Aliz. Excuse me Madam if I take this time T' accuse your Beauty of a seeming Crime That Friendship which on me you did bestow Does make it just I should yet call it so Plan. Madam I am Surpriz'd at what you say For that great Friendship which to you I pay Does make me confident I ne're could do What may be call'd a seeming Crime by you Let me but know my Charge and you will see You are more Faulty in Suspecting me Aliz. From the first hour in which you did descend To bless me with the Title of your Friend I so much valu'd it as Heaven does know I strove to Merit what you did bestow Which makes what e're I did in serving you To be at once my Joy and Duty too And though your Goodness often would confess I serv'd you above all you could express Yet I was higher Griev'd I did no more Then I was Pleas'd with all I did before Plan. Madam to prove my Debt you need not strive I 'le own my self the ungratefull'st Soul alive If since our Friendship I did e're admit A thought which might but seem unfit for it Aliz. Ah Madam can you say what now you do And have your Face exempt from blushes too Or do you think it is a Friendly thing To rob me of my Lover and my King One who till now preserv'd so pure a Flame As made hime greater for his Love then Fame If this be held a Friendly Act by you Pursue such friendly Acts and Kill me too To me a much less Cruelty 't would prove To rob me of my Life than of my Love For our past Friendships sake you shouâ—…d noâ—… give Wounds worse than Death and after let me live Your Cruelty grants half of my Request Then let your Pity Madam grant the rest Accept this Weapon and no longer shun To let your Hand cure what your Eyes have done Presenting her a Dagger Plan. I am amaz'd at what you say and do I 'le sooner wound my self with it than you Aliz Ah 't is your kindness to the King I see Hinders your granting what is beg'd by me His Image Madam you but love too well You fear to strike the Shrine where it does dwell But for that Reason what I ask dispence Since onely Death can banish it from thence Else to you Conquest 't will some trouble give To know he in your Rivals heart does live Plan. Can you believe I 'll share that Monarcks Bed By whose Command my Father lost his Head My Father who was Unkle too to him And who in Virtue to such height did climb As a whole day he on the Scaffold stood E're they could find out one would shed his Blood King Edwards double Guilt my soul does fright First he usurp'd on his own Fathers right Then stain'd a Scaffold with his Unkles gore For striving his wrong'd Brother to restore Aliz. You should not charge your Fathers death on him Since 't was his Pow'r not he which did that Crime His Chancellours while he was under age Cloath'd with his name th' injustice of their rage For which when he had reach'd his Fourteenth year He put to death the Guilty Mortimer And to appease you for that Murtherers Sin He now does Court you to become his Queen Plan. I thought from Nature you had understood There 's no Atonement for a Fathers Blood Then do not think I 'le ever Condescend At once to injure Nature and my Friend Aliz Have you forgot how you were almost won Madam to wed your Father's Murth'rers Son If onely Love prevail'd so far with you What cannot Love and thirst of Empire do Plan. Into a high Injustice I had run Had I ascrib'd the Kings guilt to his Son Aliz. You with a worse Injustice can dispence You charge the King with Mortimers Offence A Fathers Guilt a Son may undergo But Kings partake not Sins which Subjects do Plan. If on the Prince his Birth a Guilt did lay He with his Tears did wash that Guilt away Aliz. The Princes Grief was Weak the Kings was Strong The Prince Deplor'd the King Reveng'd your Wrong The King did more if rightly understood The Son gave you but Tears the Father Blood Plan. 'T will easier to a Cruel Prince appear To spill a Subjects
his Knowledge to Declare And what he Sayes I hope you will Believe King Ed. To what he speaks I still will Credit give Dela I should be too Unworthy of this Trust Should I abuse a King so Great and Just When to the Warrs of Aquitaine I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Who in a Charge did such deep Wounds receive As finding that he had not long to Live A Messenger in hast for me he sent As soon as e'r I came into his Tent He told me Something on his Heart did lye Which griev'd him more then he was Griev'd to Dye Then in my Hand he did this Letter lay And in a Sigh his Soul did fly away Prin. When you have heard it Read it will Afford Proof of her Vertue King Ed. Read it then my Lord. The Earl of KENT to the Lord DELAVVARE MY Death forces me to discover by what Arts I obtained from the Prince of Wales the faire Plantagenet Before He ador'd her I did and as soon as he fell in Love not knowing mine he made me his Confident but the King being against the match the Prince the better to cloud his reall passion for Plantagenet seem'd to have one for the fair Aurelia but still trusted me with the Superscription Cypher and Seale which he used when he writ to my Plantagenet and I had the fatal employment of carrying all their Letters At length the Glory the Prince wonn at Cressy joyn'd with his grief for the King's denyal conquer'd his Father and the Day was appointed for his marrying Plantagenet which if not prevented I found would be the Day of my Death This I imparted to my Mother who had no small ascendant over Plantagenet and by my Mothers advice I got the Prince to write a Letter to Aurelia whom I seem'd to be passionatly in Love with wherein he beg'd her pardon for having counterfeited a Love to her when his was otherwise disposed of but to repair it he earnestly recommended me to her affection as most worthy of it This Letter I seal'd and superscribed with the Cypher the Prince alwayes made use of to Plantagenet Prince's passion for Aurelia that this letter being delivered to Plantagenet Prince's Prince's inconstancie that in the dictates of those resentments she gave her self to me whereunto my Mothers Friendship with her did highly contribute The Prince in despair undertakes the war with France and I soon after disguised to all but you follow'd him in hope by some great action to wash off the Guilt my Love forced me to contract but here I met my Death Tell them all this and that I hope their hatred to me will be buried in my Grave Dela This Letter till this day I have conceal'd For Causes Sir unfit to be Reveal'd Prin. I hope you find in what he did relate She was not Guilty but Unfortunate King Ed. I must confess these Arts which Kent did use Doe her forsaking you too much Excuse Prin. Since this has wash'd off her imagin'd Stain Give me your leave to love her Sir again King Ed. I would not have defam'd her but I see To cure his Love there 's but that Remedy No Prince the Sin she did last night Commit Makes her for ever for your Love unfit Prin. Oh Heaven must I endure a new Assault Tell me I beg you Sir this Fansied Fault For she is of such an unblemish'd Fame As I can give it well no better Name But Sir to try me this perhaps is done King Ed. I doe not use to trifle with my Son And I beleive you I credit what I said When I my self found hid within her Bed A Lovely Youth who since is dumb with Fear My Lord bring instantly that Pris'ner here to Latimer Exit Latimer Prince Though I my self what you have said should see Yet I would think my Eyes were False not She. King Ed Since to your Witness I did credit give Methinks what I have said You should Believe Prin. Forgive me if her Vertue and my Love Forc'd me to speak what may your Anger move Fate never man to such a streight did bring I must offend my Mistress or my King Esteem her Guilty or not Credit you That Sir I cannot this I Dare not Doe Enter Latimer and Valeria's Brother King Io. Valeria's Brother Love is just I see Since he Revenges my inconstancy And makes him punish his fair Sister 's wrong King Ed. If still thy Fear has not ty'd up thy Tongue Discover to the King and to my Son How thou by Charmes Plantagenet hast won I found thee in her Bed there 's no Excuse Valer. Broth. Sir that 's a place which few men would refuse Enter Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and all the Women Shall not one moment stay thy Destiny Plan. The Words and Anger of the King are High Alizia Sir and I but now did hear That with this Gentleman you Angry were We come to beg you to forgive his Crime King Ed. Of all the World you should not plead for Him For you by it so Great a Guilt do show As I had rather but suspect then know Plan. I know not what you mean by what you said King Ed. You know not too you hid him in your Bed Plan. Who could to you that Secret Sir declare Kig Io. Oh Heaven does she Confess then he was there Val. Bro That Sir I hope is no Offence to you do King Io. False Youth to me what worse Wrong could'st thou Val Bro. I thought my Sister had your Heart possest King Io. But did'st thou not from her to me protest She bid thee help me if I ere should be In Love with any one more Fair then She Val. Bro. And doe you Sir confess that you are so King Io. Those Charming Eyes must every Heart ore'throw Val. Bro. This Guilt in you will cause her Death I fear King Io. Thy Guilt to me is more then mine to her What do'st thou aile thou tremblest and lookst pale Val. Admire not Grief does or ' my soul prevail When to Valeria's self such Words you said taking off her Disguise As Sir does make her wish that she were Dead But though she 's killd by your Inconstancy Yet in your Armes she begs your leave to Dye she faints Plantagenet holds her up Plan. She faints Ah Sir that Guilty Change in you King Io. Oh Madam blame not what you made me doe Plan. Sir 't is not Just to charge your Fault on me King Ed. Is it Valeria then King Io. Yes Yes 't is she Her Broth'rs face so much resembles hers As I deluded by the clothes she wears Did to her self my Change in Love avow Prince The Clouds of my Despair do vanish now And Charming Hopes in me begin to Reign Plan. Give her more Air for now she Breaths again Valeria is set in a Chair King Ed. Oh I the fair Plantagenet did wrong Prince The Proofs that she is Guiltless are so strong As I now
Why was this Play then by the Author writ A. In fear 't is said of being call'd a Wit And many a Man does doubt that it his Friend Ere three hours hence he will have reach'd his end N. Take heed if at this rate we gable ◅re Our Poet will attain his end before A. For fear of that 't is best we should be gone N. What without Prologue A. I 'm resolv'd to have none For some on Wit that needless Tax did lay Which Poets now are grown too poor to pay But yet as mettled School-boyes set to cuff Will not confess that they have done enough Though dea◅ly weary till spectators do At once both part and call them good Boys too But then these Cussers monstrous joyful are Iust thus it would with all our Poets fare Would you decree what I for them implore Poets with Prologues nere should meddle more 'T is the best thing you for your selves could do For Prologues first tire Poets and then you If you 'l not do 't while in your power it lies They 'l do it of themselves if they be wise Our Poets tyr'd and has with Prologues donē But those which yet are fresh let them cuff on The Persons Names Tryphon The King Aretus and Demetrius Friends Seleucus Capt. of Tryphon's Guard Nicanor Father to Cleopatra and Stratonice Tryphon's Freeman Cleopatra and Stratonice Sisters Hermione Confident to Cleopatra Irene Confident to Stratonice Tryphon THE FIRST ACT. The SCENE is the Garden of Tryphon's Palace in Antioch Demetrius and Aretus Dem. TRyphon I grant through Seas of blood has gone To force his passage to the Sy◅ian Throne But how men gain their Pow'r the Gods do not So much regard as how 't is us'd when got Our Murther'd King Antiochus did own That Tryphons Father did restore his Crown Which made him trust the Sons ambitious youth With so much pow'r as did corrupt his truth This our dead Prince discover'd but too late Which did provoke Tryphon to act his fate For Kings should not to too great Subjects shew They mean their ruine till they act it too And he almost deserves to lose his Throne Who makes a Subject's power exceed his own Are. What ever you in his defence have brought Rather then lessen doth augment his fault For what could show this Tyrant more unjust Then to abuse such gratitude and trust Trust which the wicked often does reclame This monstr'ous wickedness does more inflame That he repents nothing can us perswade Since what makes others good has made him bad Dem. When once Ambition does the mind devour Men Sacrifice their Vertue to their Pow'r Antiochus had rais'd him up so high As he was either to usurp or die And when he had perceiv'd the Kings distrust He made him think that what was safe was just Are. Oh let him not be pleaded for by you Who did his King depose and murther too Lest on your self th' Usurpers blood you bring Dem. 'T is less to kill then to arraign a King And he who does an Empires loss endure Cannot think death a punishment but cure Are. But Actions should be taken as they' are meant Dem. To vindicate him is not my intent Since all which can in his excuse be said Is that his Pride his Virtue has betray'd Are. No glimps of vertue e're in him could shine Who kill'd his King and all the Royal line Dem. After he had the chief of it supprest He thought it was unsafe to save the rest Are. Ambition made him act the Parricide And Cruelty must then preserve his Pride By the same rule he ought to shed the blood Of all his Country-men that dare be good Then from the Throne let us th' Usurper fling To save our selves and to Revenge the King For should we to this Tyranny submit We shall deserve as well as suffer it And to the virtuous 't will much more appear Such a misfortune to deserve then bear That Tryphon calls you favourite I know But to his Fear alone that name you ow Yet though the kindness which he feigns were true Even layes the ground of what I call you to From you he merits death since he hath dar'd To hope such Friendship could such Guilt have spar'd Dem. Whom Tryphon fears he doth to death pursue And if he fear'd me he might kill me too But that he fears me not he could not give A stronger proof then that he lets me live Yet do not think his friendship such a charm As from revenge it could confine my arme But if my patience you a sin esteem It springs from Love to Syria not to him For since the Royal line are made away Were Tryphon kill'd who should the Scepter sway All the Ambitious for the Throne would fight For where none has the Title all have Right Thus while we cast a bloody Tyrant down By Blood we raise another to the Crown 'T is this 't is this which chiefly frightens me We may change Tyrants not the Tyranny Where Force is Title Force must make it good And who comes in by Armes must reign by Blood Are. Banish such groundless fears for he alone Who kills the Tyrant should ascend his Throne Who from this Tyranny does Syria free All will confess deserves our King to be If by your Arm this generous Act is done Saving the Kingdom will deserve the Crown Dem. Oh my Aretus should I yield to this T' would then be my Ambition punish'd his And he 's unfit a Tyrant to dethrone Who with his Countreys ends dare mix his own Since Tryphon is call'd King I 'le rather bear His Tyranny then be his Murtherer That name Aretus is a sacred thing Are. But Tryphon's an Usurper not a King Ah shall he keep his blood from being spilt By taking off that name which makes his guilt If such a principle we should endure Then the most guilty would be most secure Dem. What ever sins to gain a Crown are done The God's do pardon when they put it on We ought when Heav'ns Vicegerent does a Crime To leave to Heav'n the right to punish him Those who for wrongs their Monarchs murther act Worse sins then they can punish they contract And while his favour I so much possess My Pow'r will hinder any new excess Are. But from new crimes while Tryphon you withhold You bribe our swords from punishing the old Dem. He that 's so bad as to gain pow'r by Blood Some reparation makes if he turn good And 't is my hope as much as 't is my care To fill his Court with those who virtuous are If Virtue in his Court it self advance Vice there will soon grow out of countenance That he no more into new crimes may fall Hee 'll make this day Nicanor General And our Seleucus free from Vice as Fear Shall head the guards Tryphon Nicanor Seleucus and Tryphon's Guards But Tryphon does appear Who must not see me since he sent me now On an affair which you at
sorrows Tears away Shee 's Courted by a Monarch whose Renown Does make him greater much then does his Crown To Conquer All he has resistless Pow'rs His Sword subdues His Sex his Vertues Ours Sev. Then let his Virtue which you so much Prize Suppress your Jealousie and dry your Eyes Virtue so Firm as nothing can Remove Aliz. Virtue is nothing but a Name in Love What cannot Love when he is Victor do Which makes me think their Change their Virtue too Sev. With equal Flames the King your Flames did meet And daily breath'd his Passion at your feet Myrtles when giv'n by You were Dearer held Than all those Lawrells Vanquish'd France did yield He went with Grief that Empire to subdue Hating what ever sever'd him from You. Aliz. I see his Change in spight of all his Art He suffers not but plays the Lovers part Sev. Let not such Thoughts be entertain'd by you He Courts you now more then he us'd to do Aliz. This does the Truth of what I said detect His Passion now is chang'd into Respect And Love which once was High and is decay'd Like the Sun setting casts the greater shade From all his secret Vows he does depart 'T is False Love onely needs the help of Art Sev. Such Doubts his Constancy may Over-throw Who Thinks him False provokes him to Be so Did you to him your cause of Grief unfold Aliz 'T would not deserve that Name could it be told She meanly Loves who slighted can admit Ought but her Love alone can tell her it Sev. No wonder Grief thus in your Breast does Reign When you from your Physician hide your Pain Let Him but hear from whence your Sorrow grows Aliz. 'T is Love and vain to tell him what he knows Sev. Then I will tell it him and he will fly Faster to You than to a Victory And quickly learn to clear his Fancy'd Fault Aliz. A Perfect Lover needs not to be taught And if he were with Lovers tâ—…ue Passion Fir'd He would not need to Learn hee 'd be Inspir'd Sev. At my request ease your distemper'd Mind And on my life you suddenly shall find To think him faulty is to think Amiss Aliz. He is too Guilty since I think he is Exeunt several wayes Enter Cleorin and Delaware Cleo. I hop'd your absence now three years compleat Had cur'd your Passion for Plantagenet And you would Fame to hopeless Love prefer Dela I courted Fame but more to merit Her Since I durst Love not having Fame atchiev'd Since I Ador'd her while her Husband liv'd Now that the Noble Kent three years is dead Now that with Lawrel War has Crown'd my Head How can you be dear Sister so unwise To think that Love can fall while Hope does rise Cleo. You know Dear Brother onely for your sake That I three years incessant care did take To make my self your Conquerours Confident But though I have accomplish'd my Intent Yet all I Gain'd by it is to believe She never your Addresses will Receive For since she lost her Lord the Noble Kent She thinks all time not paid to Grief mispent Dela In what you say much cause of Hope I find Since Grief tâ—… unwelcom'st Passion of the Mind She does admit within her to Reside Love the most welcome cannot be Deny'd Cleo. Do not your Hopes with such wild Fancies feed Her 's is a Grief which does from Love proceed You by your Passion strangely are mis-led Dela Is it then possible to Love the Dead We but to those Alive can Love express For when the Cause does die the Effect must cease Cleo. Your own strange Fate opposes what you said Your Love does Live and yet your hope is Dead Dela Since Love has over her Triumphant been My Flame is such to doubt Success were Sin Cleo. Nothing from Sorrow can her Soul remove And Grief is still an Enemy to Love But were her Grief subdu'd yet I must say A greater hind'rance does obstruct your way In the King's Heart a growing Flame does rise Which he discovers by his Sighs and Eyes He is the greatest Monarch of the Earth And greater by his Actions then his Birth Dela Had I her heart his Titles would not sway In Loves just ballance onely Love does weigh Cleo. The Nature of our Sex I 'le not disguise Our Servants Loves less than their Pow'rs we prise For but in Name alone their Hearts are ours But we effectually do share their Pow'rs Dela Yet Love would tell her 't is a greater thing To Conquer then it is to be a King Cleo. There 's something else which makes my Care more great Then all which I to you have mention'd yet You know the Prince of Wales did once appear Your Conquerours Lover and was lov'd by her And he to wed her gain'd the Kings Consent But unexpectedly she married Kent I often prest the Cause she would reveal Yet she the secret does from me conceal But though she on the Prince does lay the Blame Yet she will weep when she but hears his Name A thousand other Proofs do make me doubt That Fire is onely cover'd not put out Dela Ah Cleorin there 's none but I alive Of that Strange Marriage an account 〈◊〉 give You know when to the Wars of France I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Which in short time did grow so strong and high As when he found he of his Wounds should die He to strict silence first did me Engage Then told me how he gain'd his Marriage Which is so strange a story I dare swear She never can love him nor he love her Cleo. I will not beg you then to tell me why Since you have ty'd your self to secresie Brother I now must leave you for you know Our King does on King Iohn a Masque bestow To which he did Plantagenet invite And thither I must wait on her to night Dela Ah since you must be gone yet e're you go Let me at least what I may hope for know Cleo. The highest joy to which you can pretend Is that your Mistress you may make your Friend Dela If She does Friendship and not Love bestow At once she 'll make me blest and wretched too Cleo. She 'll meet your Friendship but your Love she 'll shun Despair must do what Reason should have done Dela This is a cruelty she should abhorre She should not do so much or should do more Exeunt several wayes Enter the King Alizia and Sevina Alizia 's Chamber King While your Suspition to such height does rise You wrong at once my Passion and your Eyes Ah Madam be no longer so unkind Since you to think me False must think me Blind How can you doubt of any change in me When such fair Eyes are your Security Aliz. Ah do not Sir condemn what I have done To doubt your Love does more declare my own 'T is Love not Jealousie which I detect Then for the causes sake excuse th' effect King Madam
there is but one degree you know 'Twixt doubting I am false and thinking so Aliz. To you no clearer Proof Sir I can give I think you are not false then that I live For did I doubt you guilty of that wrong My death should tell it you and not my tongue King The pow'r of Kindness Madam you confound Making your Love the Sword with which you wound If from this day my Ruine you will date Then by some other Weapon act my fate Your Anger Misery enough does prove Without ascribing of it to your Love 'T were better far I fell by your Disdain Then have your Love my blessing turn to Pain Aliz. What I have said too warmly you pursue King How can you love him whom you think untrue Admire not what you said so much does move Since if you think me false I lose your love Against such groundless Fear there 's no defence Aliz. Love feels no greater Torment then Suspense Since she who truly Loves had rather know Her Lover false than always think him so For 't is an ill more sensible and high To Live tormented still then 't is to Die But you may end those Torments I deplore If you will never see my Rival more King This is a Remedy severe and new Rudeness to her must Kindness be to you And of my Love can you no proof admit But what will make me for your Love unfit Aliz. Ah were I Blest or Curst to such degree As that you thought some other lov'd by Me I would for ever from his sight be gone And would in your contentment find my own Were your Affections but for me as great Then you no more would see Plantagenet King She is the nearest Kinswoman I have Her Lord too in my Service found his Grave Nature and Honour these respects approve And make that Duty which you doubt is Love Aliz. Alas were you not chang'd you would not be Civil to her rather than kind to me King Will this your Fatal Jealousie remove I swear I never spake to her of Love Aliz. Love is not alwayes by Discourse made known It may be spoken in a Look or Groan Some in those wayes more Passion can dispense Then others by the Charms of Eloquence Your Oath I fear is dictated by Art Your Tongue is innocent but not your Heart King This Madam too much your unkindness shows You neither will believe my Love nor Vows Aliz. Do not admire my Doubts and Fears are high When you that easie cure of them deny I saw you gaze on her much more then you Did gaze on me when I did know you true Which to my Torment Sir does let me see You lov'd Me not or lov'd Her more then Me Man's Art to such a height could never rise As love from a true Lover to disguise Oh Sir it is high time I let you know Though Love is blind yet Lovers are not so King He never yet the height of Love has known Who onely found it in a Look or Groan When I to you that Passion did express Which Madam onely with my Life shall cease Though many Looks and Sighs to you I sent Yet by Discourse too I did give it vent If through all passages it does not press It soon will kill the heart it does possess Love is so vast a Passion as the breast Is much too small to hold so great a Guest Aliz. Great Love is like great Grief and all Sir hold That Grief is weak or small which can be told Enter Lord Latymer who whispers to the King King Madam A pressing business calls me now Be therefore satisfied with this strict Vow My carriage to Plantagenet shall be Such as shall make you grant you 've injur'd me Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Aliz. Now my Sevina think you not that I Had a sufficient ground for Jealousie Sev. Madam you had but give me leave to say You to suppress it took a hopeless way Aliz. To what way else could I have had recourse Sev. A Lover never was brought back by force But since he raises Jealousie in you Madam resolve to make him Jealous too You by a double Right must gain his Heart First own it to your Beauty then your Art Love is like Health which all men value most Not while it is possest but when 't is lost Aliz. I 'le rather bear Misfortunes worst Assault Then own my blessing to a seeming Fault If what you now propose I should approve Virtue would blush at my Success in Love Honour alone shall guide my Actions still Rather than I will do I 'le suffer Ill My Rival nor the King shall ever say To gain my Right I took a guilty way She has the Happier I the Nobler part She may Possess but I Deserve his Heart Exeunt The end of the first Act. The Curtain fals THE SECOND ACT. The First SCENE The Curtain being drawn up King Edward the Third King Iohn of France and the Prince of Wales appear seated on one side of the Theater waited on by the Count of Guesclin the Lord Latymer the Lord Delaware and other Lords with the King's Guards On the other side of the Theater are seated Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and other Ladies The Scene opens two Scenes of Clouds appear the one within the other in the hollow of each Cloud are Women and men richly apparell'd who sing in Dialogue and Chorus as the Clouds descend to the Stage then the Women and Men enter upon the Theater and dance afterwards return into the Clouds which insensibly rise all of them singing until the Clouds are ascended to their full height then onely the Scene of the Kings magnificent Palace does appear all the Company arise King Ed. SInce you are Pris'ner by the fate of War I shall not onely make it Sir my Care Your Grief by such diversions to allay But quickly too to take their Cause away Two pow'rful Motives me to this perswade The Friendship Sir you with my Son have made And that rare Fortitude which you have shown In Poictiers Field and after it was won King Jo. Sir Of that Fatal place I 'le not complain Since 〈◊〉 in it his Friendship did obtain Which I so prize as I 'de the loss repeat Rather then miss a happiness so great Embracing the Prince Prince As much as Virtue Fortune does out-shine So much your Victory surpasses mine A treaty will my bonds on you untie But yours on me will last eternally King Ed. That Treaty we to morrow will begin And you shall find I 'le so proceed therein As you and all the world Sir shall confess Justice shall guide me in it not Success Doubt not but what I promise shall be done T is what I ow my Honour and my Son King Jo. Thus using your Success the world will see How justly you deserve your Victory Force in rough Fetters may the Body bind But onely Friendship Captivates the Mind King Ed. It is already Sir
yields to one by whom he was Betray'd Pr. I glory more my Love that Wrong o'recame Then I can Grieve that I so Injur'd am What to my Flame a Remedy can grant When her Inconstancy that Power does want I find do what she will in me she 'll Reign Her Eyes give deeper Wounds then her Disdain Dela What her Disdain did want the Power to do Let Honours Dictates now perswade you to And Sir to arm you for this just Assault Know she has said her Mariage was your Fault Ah 't was enough the Injury to do Without attributing the Guilt to You. Malice it self at nothing worse could aim She kills your Love and then would kill your Fame And Sir to shew her Fault all Faults surpass She of the First makes use to act the Last Pr. Ah do not think this can my Love subdue Since what she charg'd me with I wish were True I at my Miseries would scarce repine Had I the Pow'r to make her Failings mine My Love for her would make me be content To have her Guilt and my own Punishment Yet I have nam'd but half the Weight I bear My Father is in Love with her I hear And I am much mistaken if last Night She the French King Subdu'd not at first Sight By which I find I must the Field maintain Against my King my Friend and her Disdain But though worse Crosses should my Hopes befall My pow'rfull Love would Overcome them all Disswade me not but try for me to win The Friendship of thy Sister Cleorin She most of all my Conquerours mind does sway Reply not if thou Lov'st Me but Obey Exit Prince Delaware alone Dela Some Fatal Planet at my Birth did Reign Since all things which should Cure Augment my pain My Sister who at last for me did get To be the Favorite to Plantagenet Which from Despair till now my Soul did free My Prince makes use of now to ruine me My Love he aims not onely to destroy But to obtain that End does Me employ Not doing it I Disobedience show And if I do it I my Love o'rethrow That Secret dying Kent reveal'd to me Which rais'd my Hopes now makes my Misery My Mistress I betray while 't is conceal'd And should betray my Love were it reveal'd What ever happens I must Wretched prove For I must Lose or not Deserve her Love Thus from Wars Dangers Crown'd with Bayes I rise Onely to fall the greater Sacrifice Yet of a Remedy I will not doubt Love which has Led me in may Lead me out Exeunt The End of the Second Act. THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE is King John's Apartment Enter King John and a Page Page THe fair Valeria has her Brother sent T' attend you Sir in your imprisonment His Sister from the Duke of Lancaster Obtain'd a Pass which brought him safely here He is but newly lighted at your Gate And begs your leave that he on you may walt King Valeria's Brother sure it cannot be Page Sir I but say the words he said to me King Which of her Brothers os't Page That Brother Sir Who e're his face was hurt resembled het King Call him Exit Page How can I on the Brother look Whose Sister is by me so soon forsook But who the Bright Plantagenet shall see Must be unjust or else must pardon me Enter the Page with Valeria's Brother whom the King embraces King You are so like your Sister I should know You were her Brother though none told me so She may increase my Debt as she thinks â—…t But nothing can the Sence I have of it The Battel I have lost I hope that She Ascribes to my Ill Fate and not to Me Fortune alas too Tyrannous would prove If what has lost my Crown should lose her Love Val. Bro. Since for your Mistress you of her made Choice She at the loss Sir does almost rejoyce For it presents her with a proof that shows Her Love is past the reach of Fortunes Blows She 'll grieve at nothing your ill Fate can do Unless at that which fevers her from you King Never Affection to this height did rise It proves her Love is matchless as her Eyes And makes me scarce repine at what I bear Since it does shew how I am lov'd by her Val. Bro. She of her Love a higher Proof does show In what she has commanded me to do For Sir She knows that England still affords Beauties which are Resistless as her Swords And has enjoyn'd me if you here should be In Love with any one more Fair then She I should assist you Sir in your Amours And Sink her Happiness to Heighten yours King She does at once in what she bid you do Declare her Love and run no hazard too For he who once is made Valeria's prize Is arm'd against all Wounds from others Eyes Enter Guesclin The King goes hastily to meet him to the other side of the Valeria's Brother list'ning to them 'T is with impatience Guesclin I have staid To learn from you the Progress you have made Guesc. In vain I try by Presents Sir to win The Assistance of the Beauteous Clâ—…in She as I 'me told was preingag'd before King Whoever told you that could tell you more Guesc. By Gifts I won a Lady who of late The Honour on your Mistress had to wait Who told me and assur'd me it was true The Prince of Wales does love your Mistress too King In this my Cruel Fate on me does send The greatest curse which I could apprehend Must I the Prince or else my Fortune blame Who thus does rival me in Love and Fame Guesc. How can you justly Sir this News deplore Since I but tell you what you thought before 'T is the least Wonder does in Love befall To think a Mistress is Ador'd by all I as a Lover to that Thought was bound But now that Thought a Certainty is found Which justly in my Soul does grief infuse Guesc. She has acquainted me with stranger News She told me Sir this is the second time The Bright Plantagenet was lov'd by him He by Despair to the French Wars was sent She leaving him to wed the Earl of Kent But she the cause of it could not relate King How strange and intricate a Pow'r is Fate The Prince of Wales finds in a slighted Flame The Noblest of all wayes to raise his Fame Glory does heal what Love made him endure And his Dispair presents him with his Cure He mist her Love a while that he might be More worthy of it by his Conquering Me A happy Planet at his Birth did Reign A seeming Loss brings him a double Gain While Fate with me so cruelly does act As by one Loss a greater I contract Successless Love his way to Fame does prove And loss of Fame does make my way to Love Guesc. You wrong your Vertue by this strange Debate The Brave are still the makers of their Fate 'T is onely Sir those men whose Souls
Blood then shed a Tear But those true Show'rs wept by the Prince of Wales To judge him Innocent with me prevails Aliz. This does but shew the King what he should Do He need but Weep to be judg'd Guiltless too Or if yet Guilty held with little Pain A Lovers Tears will wash off any Stain Plan. Though your not Crediting what I have spoke My just Resentment does too much provoke Yet that you may my Friendship clearly see Evâ—…n while you shew that you have none for me Since what I said has not prevail'd with you I will Convince you by this Solemn Vow I swear the King nor any e're to me Mention'd that Love which makes your Jealousie And should he e're for me a Passion have Rather than wed the King I 'le wed my Grave These Vows your Friendship should to me restore Sev. You cannot Ask nor can she Promise more Cleo. Such Vowes as these should your Belief perswade And Friendship thus Renew'd is Stronger made Aliz. Ah Madam now my Trouble is more high Then it was lately by my Jealousie You could impose no Penance so Sublime As thus to Shew me and Forgive my Crime What ends one Pain a greater does begin Since all my Grief for your imagin'd Sin Did not so much my wounded Mind Subdue As does the Grief of having Injur'd you Yet who can wonder that I Jealous grew Of so much Beauty and such Vertue too The Perfectness of both you now have shown The Last has pardon'd what the First has done Plan. If what I did might to Reward pretend You give the greatest being still my Friend Embraces her Aliz. And may I be depriv'd of Life and Fame When e're again I lose that Glorious Name Exeunt Enter King Edward and Lord Latymer as in Discourse Laty. To me th' assurance she did twice repeat King What! that my Son Adores Plantagenet Laty. And with a Passion Sir that does appear More fierce then that which he first paid to her King Ah can he be so mean to Love again One who his former Passion did Disdain One who was Guilty of so strange a Crime As to give Kent that Heart she Promis'd him And that her Scorn she might the more Display Wedded a Rival on his wedding day At least that day which was for him design'd Laty. Love never was to Reasons Rules confin'd For 't is a Passion Sir which onely knows Such Laws as on it self it will Impose King But Honour should oblige him to Abhor One by whose Guilt he was Betray'd before Laty. A Lover thinks that no Dishonour lies In twice submitting to his Mistress Eyes We soon may Love and Fortune reconcile When either of them after Frowning Smile King Oh Latymer the News thou dost impart Does with a Double wound afflict my Heart First that my Son by such a Love should dare To blast those Glories he has won in War Then that his Flames should be to her Address'd Without whose Love I never can be Blest Laty. starts Why dost thou start is it so strange a thing That so much Beauty should Subdue thy King Rather admire I did not sooner bow To such Bright Eyes then that I do it now The Greatest Men that e're the World did Grace Have still allow'd to Love the Highest Place Caesar who gained many a Glorious Field Yet did to Cleopatra's Beauties yield Laty. Had he not won many a Glorious Field That Love had been but as his Weakness held His Conquests make us think his Soul Sublime And many Victories Excuse one Crime King Whatever in my Love is judg'd amiss I 'le expiate by Actions Great as his Laty. But how Sir can you well Condemn your Son For Doing that which by your self is Done Since both of you Purpose the same Design King His Case my Lord does differ much from mine For though we both Plantagenet Adore Yet he has been Betray'd by her before The difference is exceeding great you see She has Affronted him but Conquer'd me Love is at worst a Noble Frailty thought But Love when Scorn'd is justly held a Fault Laty. May I be Pardon'd if I speak my heart King what ' ere you think you freely may impart Laty. May not the Prince then Sir as justly say You are more faulty to Alizia You cease to love her in whose Heart you Reign'd And he but loves her who his Love disdain'd He with the best of Loves extreams is curst But you seem guilty of the very worst His Fault is Sir the lesser of the two You too Inconstant are and she too True King O do not wound me by reminding things Which rather Trouble than Repentance brings Laty. The Fault which you Confess will you Pursue Kiâ—…g We should not Sin and yet we dayly do I owe Alizia more then you can say But what I owe her I want pow'r to pay Plantagenet should onely Wonders do She makes my Fault and does excuse it too Enter to them the Prince and Delaware Prince Sir I am come to make you a Request Which if deny'd I never can be Blest 'T is a Request I beg you to Admit And beg your Pardon too for making it King I 'le grant what e're you ask though ne're so great If t does not concern Plantagenet Prin. Sir It relates to her in some degree But it exceeding'y relates to Me. King Then you are come I doubt to ask again My leave that she may twice your Love disdain Since there is nothing else I can believe Unfit for you to Ask or me to Give And yet that Sin Honour should so detest As you should never make it your request Prin. If 't is a Sin to love her Sir I fear That every Man must Sin that Looks on her King Loving of her which is her Beauties Due From any other is a Sin in you Prin. How can it Sir by you be justly thought That what is Mandkinds Duty is my Fault King You know what Scorn she did to you dispence And in such ways as Height'ned the Offence Without the Blemish of that double Stain She had within your Heart deserv'd to Reign Prin. But had not I through those Fierce Tryals run I had not Merited what I had Won King Too far she in those Guilty Tryals went When she abandon'd you to Marry Kent Prin. His Fate is Nobler who Deserves but Fails Then his who Merits not and yet Prevails King But those Fierce Tryals which she us'd you to Makes her Incapable to Merit you For should she love you now 't would be too late The Wrongs of Honour what can expiate Prin. Her Love when e're Conferr'd will Overpay The Affronts of Scorn and Tortures of Delay Against her Beauties 't were the greatest Fault To think her Love can be too dearly bought King Rather that cruell'st Injury she gave Should all your Scorn and all your Hatred have Then do not Hope I ever will allow That by my leave she twice should Injure you Ask all those
leave That Generous Usage he to me does show Secures me here more then his Guards can do And though this Bond do Strong enough appear Yet a far stronger does Confine me here By your great Friendship Sir I here am ty'dâ—… But tell me freely is there ought beside Which by a Friend a Secret may be thought Which told a Friend his Friend may think a Fault Prin. Yes Sir yet I will mention but one more Looking fixedly on the King Suppose two Friends one Beauty did Adore If he whose Heart her eyes the last o're came Should to his Rival Friend disclose his Flame He well might think the Injury was Great King I hope you do not love Plantagenet Prin. Yes Sir I do and with a Love so High As it can never Cease until I Die King Ah Since you Love her and to that Degree Why was your Passion not Reveal'd to me Telling you first she does my Conquerour prove You make your Friendship Guiltier then my Love Prin. Why should I tell you what you needs must know For whosoeuer sees must love her too King Since such high Pow'r does to her Eyes belong Think not in loving her I do you Wrong Prin. To love such Charming Eyes no wrong can be But 't is a Wrong to tell your Love to me King Since all who Look on her she must Subdue Is it a wrong to tell you what you knew Because you thought your Love was known to me You judg'd your Silence was no Injury But I as soon as I her Lover grew Judg'd it a Duty Sir to Tell it you Consider which of us has done the worst Prin. I who first saw her must have lov'd her First Therefore my Passion must be known to you King I hear'd you Lov'd Her and she Lov'd You too But afterwards she did Inconstant prove And I believ'd that Wrong had Cur'd your Love Prin. Her Beauties were unworthy my Esteem If any thing more Powerful were then Them King Knowing their Pow'rs admire not if you see That Love more strong then Friendship is in me Prin. Yet since I to her Beauties first did bow Your Love 's a Wrong to me not mine to you King Io. Affronts the Ties of Friendship may undo Yet you still love her though she injur'd you You clearly have Declar'd in what you Did That her Fair Eyes does Friendships strength exceed And she who spight of Wrongs triumphs o're you Triumphs o're me in spight of Friendship too Since she o're you the greatest Pow'r has shewn Blaming my Passion you more blame your own Our Love in both or neither is amiss Yours above wrongs mine above Friendship is But the Success of mine I may dispair Since now I know that you my Rival are I with Disgrace am cloath'd but you with Fame Which makes me merit Pity more then Blame Prin How can I Sir that Pity give to you Which o my own Case is more justly due Besides her change for which my Soul does mourn Besides my Friend who does my Rival turn As high an I â—…as both of these I feel King May you that Secret Sir to me Reveal To me who though as Rival you may blame Yet I your Friend more than your Rival am For at this Name I Grieve at that Rejoyce This is th' Effect of Force but that of Choice Embracing him Prin. Oh I did err and in a high degree Repining that you Rival were to me Since 't is more fit that pain I should abide Then that her Eyes this Triumph were deny'd As both in Love and Friendship I exceed So both Disdain in common paths to tread Unjust to Her and Love I should appear Would I without a Rival conquer her King This Declaration I unmov'd receive Since you to be your Rival give me leave But to Plantagenet should prove unkind Yet in my Friendship I some ease shall find For should the worst of Fortunes be my share Your Trophies I should raise in Love as War Thus I by Friendships Pow'r shall be supply'd With what to me my Fate and Love deny'd My Friendship for you nothing can impair Since it stands firm though you my Rival are For I who best her Beauties pow'r do know Find your excuse from thence for being so And to confirm this Truth I now will show That Secret to you which you ask'd to know Prin. Those conquering Beauties which did us subdue Have made my Father turn my Rival too King I thought he Lov'd the Fair Alizia Prin. And Sir I thought you Lov'd Valeria King Our Conquerours Eyes must every Heart reduce In my own Fate I find the Kings Excuse Prince 'T is She alone with the high Pow'r is blest Of Captiavating Freedoms prepossess'd King She does in the same Fare such is her Pow'r Involve the Conquer'd and the Conquerour Prin. But 't is not Sir at this that I repine I know where e're her Beauties please to slime They ought to Conquer as their Native Right Me by his Rivalship he does not Fright For 't is Her choice alone which can improve The highest Lover to deserve her Love And Sir my Flame which brightest shall appear Would make it Sin should I a Rival fear But that which does my Soul with Grief subdue Is his forbidding me to Love her too Oh why should the Paternal Right oppose The nobler Right which Love on her bestows King Oh Prince your Case is difficult I see He should have treated you as you treat me But in the Fatal strait which you are in You must against your Love and Nature sin What Resolution think you to pursue Prin. Ah 't is much easier to Resolve than Do For once I thought I could so far Obey As silently to Mourn my Life away But Love the Monarch Passion of the Soul That Resolution quickly did controul Making me find that her Triumphant Eyes Are much more pow'rful then all Natures ties Yet that no odds of you I may receive But what my greater Love to me does give I let you know on her this night ' I le wait And from her Sentence I 'le receive my Fate Sir if you please you may there go with me And both together learn our Destiny I hope if mine does prove a happy Doom My Father by Submission to o'recome But if a Fatal Doom she does dispence That will Revenge my Disobedience King Since you allow me I on you will wait Of that bright Beauty to receive my Fate Though I already cannot but foresee The certain Ruine that must fall on me For she must be Unjust as she is Fair If of her Love she makes me not Dispair Or if she should me with her Favour bless Your Grief for it will Kill my Happiness Fate neither way to me nor hope allow Prin. The value of her Love you injure now Since whosoe're her Favour does possess In part the relish of unhappiness King If of her Love such Thoughts I do admit My height'ned Friendship is the cause of
it And Sir you are oblig'd by Honours Laws T' excuse Effects where Friendship is the Cause Prin. Admire not that my Rival I reprove For too much Friendship and too little Love But pardon me since I therein express I prize her Right above my Happiness King Ah generous Prince such Vertues shine in you That you in Love as War must all subdue Prin. Since Sir together we resolve to go And from Plantagenet our Fate to know 'T is fit that we no longer should defer To beg her leave this night to wait on her King But e're we know the Sentence she will give Let us from one another Sir receive A mutual Vow that still we Friends will be Prin. That to our Friendship were an injury It is its own Security you know And does more strongly bind than any Vow Against our Friendship Love in vain contends For though we Rivals are wee 'll both be Friends Yet give your Friend that pity he does seek Who to obey Loves Law must Natures break Exeunt King Edward and Lord Latymer King Never an Act so Insolent was done Affronted by my Pris'ner and my Son Both know Plantagenet is lov'd by me And yet my Rivals both presume to be In my Revenging it I 'le lose no Time Their Sufferings shall be equal to their Crime I 'le make them feel that 't is a dangerous thing To dare to court the Mistress of a King Lat. I beg you not for their sakes but your own Let first this storm of Anger be o'reblown ' Ere you determine what is fit to do Then such Resolves you safely may pursue If Patience guide you not they will esteem Your Passion onely Sir does punish them King Delay in the Affront they cast on me Would be not Patience but Stupidity Lat. Consider I beseech you Sir how they The â—…ow'r of Love not Reasons Pow'r obey Such strange Effects that Passion does produce As for all â—…aults Love is its own Excuse Love does our Noblest Faculties controul 'T is in effect the Feaver of the Soul King My Lord such talk as this I 'le not admit Share not their Guilt by thus excusing it But follow them and let them understand They now are both confin'd by my command This night in which their Love they should have shown I am determin'd to declare my own Since by their Love my Pow'r they injure so I by my Pow'r their Love will punish too Exeunt several wayes Plantagenet Delaware Cleorin The Scene Plantagenets Chamber Dela Those Fires of Love have still most 〈◊〉 been Which though they highly Burn'd have Burn'd unseen And under those which I discover'd now For many years my Conquer'd Heart did bow Admire not yet I could so long disguise From your own Sight the Acting of your Eyes For though the Sun on the Earths face but shines Yet by his Influence he does ripen Mines Your Eyes which Shine at least as Bright as He Perform like him things which you could not see But yet this Breast in which your Beauty Shin'd May boast of Love purer than Gold Refin'd Your Eyes alone perform within may Heart More then the Sun on Mines though help'd by Art As it was just my Love I should display So 't is as just your Will I should Obey Which I shall do when you but speak the word Though 't were to pierce my Heart with my own Sword And nothing in that Action I shall fear But to offend your Image which is there Plan. My Lord I think you from your Sister know The Friendship which I always had for you Yet since your words th' occasion does admit I will my self give you a Proof of it Though your declaring of your Love for me Is in it self no little Injury Yet for my Friendships sake I 'le pardon you If you th' Offence will not again pursue Dela Madam your Justice should this Usage blame You cloud your Cruelty with Friendships name As Judges to the Tortur'd Respite give To lengthen Pain but not to make them live Such Usage yet were for that Servant sit Who durst Adore you and not tell you it Though 't is some Guilt to say I Die for you Yet is that Guilt Madam a Duty too Ah Madam sure you ought not to deny To take the Debt or bid the Debter die You Sentence is too Heavy or too Light You either should me Kill or Save me quite Plan. Since by your self my Lord I now am told Your Love for me is more refin'd than Gold I 'le put it to a Tryal but so vast As never yet that Courted Metal past Know then my Love for which so much you strive Is not alas in my own Pow'r to give The Prince of Wales Dela In Pity say no more Fate never had a Curse like this in store Rais'd to the Charming'st Hope of all the World Into Despair I now from thence am hurl'd You keep that Word to which your self you ty'd And Try me more then ever Gold was Try'd That Glitterring Earth when it has pass'd the Fire Is the Refiners Wonder and Desire But I having Loves Fiery Tryal past Like the Neglected Dross away am cast Cleo. Oh Brother had not Love your Mind deprav'd You 'd think you were not Cast away but Sav'd The Crime you act she calmly does reform Dela Ah! such a Calm is worse than any Storm Cleo. How can the Princess more obliging prove Than to give Friendship when she cannot Love Dela Oh Sister he who to her Love aspires To nothing less can limit his Desires Loves Pow'r must always Friendships pow'r outdo For Love at once is Love and Friendship too Cleo. You should with Joy what she bestows receive She Gives in Friendship all she has to Give And to convince you hers is Great and True She the first hour her Secrets Trusts with you Dela Since to Receive my Love she does deny She by her Anger ought to make me Die That 's the best Proof of Friendship she can give And therefore that alone I can receive He for her Love does grant himself unfit Who can be won t' outlive the loss of it Plan. What I have yet perform'd can but pretend To let you see how much I am your Friend But that my Lord which now I do Design Shall let you see how much I think you mine For by your Councel and Assistance too The life of all my Hopes I will pursue Admire not Shame thus in my Face prevails When I confess I love the Prince of Wales For though th' Affront which I from you receiv'd Does make me blush that after it I liv'd Yet I whether by Weakness or by Fate Still Love that Prince whom I ought most to Hate And how that Love with Honour to pursue Is that in which I ask advice of you Dela starts For he esteems you in such high Degree As you the fittest are to give it me Dela Oh Fate Oh Love why do you both agree To give such Beauty
beg you will no more deferr To give me leave to make my Court to her Alizia Sir in the Princes Suit I also Joyne King Ed. Her Vertue now does with such Lustre Shine As to Repair my having Injur'd it I his Addresses to her doe permit Prince In this more then a Father you appear Tâ—…s less to Give me Life then Grant me Her But Sir before this Blessing I pursue I must do Justice to my Rivall too Sir I did promise you on her to wait speaks to K. Iohn And from her Sentence to receive my Fate This Promise I am ready to Performe King Io. No Heart did ere endure so Fierce a Storm Who can support those burthens which I bear My Vowes confirm me here my Passion there By leaving her my Noblest Hopes I end And by not leaving her I Wrong my Friend Some Sacred Pow'r teach me what I should doe Plan. Your Honour â—…indes you Sir to keep your Vow She told me Sir that Sacred Oath you Swore That you no other Beauty would Adore And though you often for her Love did press Yet still Misfortune brought to you Distress She never could though she did often strive Perswade herself his Passion to receive But then all Danger Sir She did Despise And came to Visit you in this Disguise But oh what Horror did her Soule invade When she o're heard what you to Guesclin said Of that unhappy Love you had for me She for that wound no better Cure could see Then to make me her freind and Confident King Io. Ah what for me could Fortune worse invent Love she deny'd when t' would have made me Joy And onely gives it now 't is to Destroy Plan. This Sir by Vow she ty'd me to conceal Till you to me your Passion should reveal Beleiving that would be the fittest time To tell you and Convince you of your Crime In which I promis'd my Assistance too All I have told you hapned Sir when you to King Ed. Did unexpected visit me last night Which put us both into so great a fright I least Ill Thoughts in you it might create Finding a man suppos'd with me so late And she to be discover'd did so dread As Sir I did conceal her in my Bed Where I forgot her in my Freinds Despair King Io. Madam we wait till you your Doom Declare Plan. Oh let not Sir my Sentence make you Doe What Love and Honour now doe call you to She Merits you so Bright her Love does Shine And Sir the Prince of Wales possesses mine Behold the fair Valeria does revive If you 'l Aske Pardon she 'll a Pardon Give She your past Fault but for a Dâ—…eam will take If Sir she finds you True when she does wake King Io. I can no more your Pow'r so high does rise Refist your Sentence then I could your Eyes And those Commands which now on me you say I beg you will Assist me to Obey Plan. You have your King so wounded with your Grief To Valeria That he as much as you does need Releif King Io. With an Afflicted Soul I waite on you To my own Fault and beg your Pardon too Madam I hope a Love which ne're shall Dye Will expiate one short Inconstancy Valeria Ah! though I ne're more Reparation fought Then Sir that you should see and owne your Fault Yet you my Heart so wounded by your Crime As to recover it requires some Time King Io. Though I this Penance Madam must deplore Yet I must grant my Fault does merit more Prince Now Sir to raise our Joys above Increase To this great King give Liberty and Peace King Ed. Those Offers which I always did Decline To Gratify you both I now will Signe King Io. While in this way my Freedome you Restore You and the Prince make me your Pâ—…s'ner more Your former Conquest Sir to tâ—…is must Yield This wins my Friendship â—…t but won the Feild King Ed. This is a Conquest we delight to owne 'T is more to gain your Friendship then your Throne Now all th' Alarm 's of Love and War shall cease And yeild their roomes to the soft Joyes of Peace The Curtaine falls PROLOGUE TO THE KING THe Poet Sir has offer'd to your sight An English prince whose Fame appear'd so Bright As never any since his time was known To shine with clearer Lustre but your Own For though Immortal Honour he did gain By conquering France and by restoring Spain Yet Sir you brought Three Kingdomes to Remorse And gain'd by Vertue more then he by Force Which Sir on you a greater Name bestows By conquering Them by whom he conquered Those 'T is more by Vertue England to o'recome Then by the English to beat Christendome As when the Universe was to be made The Vast Design was on the Waters laid So you in Conquering it like Method keep Laying your first Foundation in the Deep Though the Black Prince so happy Sir did prove As to be Crown'd with Victory and Love Yet Sir he knows from you he may receive A Nobler Crown then War or Love can give This makes him like the Poet trembling stand Till Sir that Crown be given him by your Hand FINIS Tryphon A TRAGEDY As it was Acted By his HIGHNESS THE Duke of YORK 's SERVANTS Written by the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Earl of Orrery LONDON Printed by T. N. for H. Herringman at the Sign of the Blue Anchor in the lower walk of the New Exchange 1669. THE PROLOGUE Spoke By Mr Nokes and Mr Angell A. HOld hold N. Why Sir A. What is 't you mean to say N. I mean to speak the Prologue to the Play A. Therefore to stop you I esteem it fit N. The Poet then will not be thought a Wit A. A wit Forsooth N. Yes Sir a wit A. What 's that N. A wit is in one word I know not what A. Of that kind Title give your Poet Ioy. A wit is then in French A je ne scay quoi A modish Name N. Yet Sir that Name to gain How many of our Writers crack their brain A. That 's a mistake for who 'd that Name contract Must e're he Court it first his brain have crackt To be a Wit believe me Sir 't is true Is the worst State a Man can Fall into The Wits first vow is that they none will spare But jeer at every Creature that they dare And the No-Wits these Wits so dis esteem That they give Money oft to hiss at them 'T is the Wits Nature or at best their Fate Others to scorn and one another hate They would be Sultans if they had their will For each of them would all his Brothers kill N. Hold Sir the Wits you too severely school A. I say to be a Wit 's to be a Fool For who but such a Creature would not grudge T' have any one for half a Crown his Iudge Nay toil that he such a wise Act may do Then lets the Players get the half Crown too N.
draws a Ponyard and viewing it saith My Hand is yet of this Bright Scepter sure Which for my Sufferings is a Certain Cure Thus arm'd I will my Enemies outbrave And spight of Fate deserve a Glorious Grave Ah Stratonice if thou my Heart couldst see thou 'dst find I only grieve at leaving thee Such Charmes are in thine Eyes Arcas cryes within Arcas They come they come Tryphon rises lifting up his Hand with the Ponyard in it Try Then I no longer will deferr my Doom Nicanor Demetrius Arâ—…tus Seleucus rush in with their Swords drawn followed by the Guards All make a stand seeing Tryphon in that Posture Though of my Death your Treacheries may boast The Triumph yet of your Revenge is lost Since Heaven designs this my last hour shall be Thus I my self act what the Gods decree Stabs himself Pleas'd that my Fate within my own Pow'r lyes And that in Death I can my foes despise I dye content since my last breath can boast That I your Plot of Murth'ring me have crost Tryphon dyes Nic. The Tyrant with himself has been at strife To make his Death as Guilty as his Life Dem. 'T was â—…ust this Execution he should doe That as he wrong'd us he may right us too Are. Yet I must Grieve at that which all Rejoyce Death should have been his Punishment not Choice Sel. His thirst of Humane Blood so great was growne As he rather then spare it spilt his owne One of the Guard leads in Arcas bound Guard Arcas confesses 't was he cry'd they come Arc. I do expect but doe not Fear your Doom Dem. Let him in safety to his Country goe Are. For our Revenge this Object is too low Sel. See how he shakes Guard let him be unbound Nic. We should prize Faithfulness where e'r 't is found The Guard unbind Arcas Are. To show I merit what I now enjoy The Freedome you bestow I thus imploy Arcas runs to Tryphon takes the Bloody Poniard which lay by him and with it stabs himself That Death you thought I fear'd I run to meet And dye content since at-my-Masters feet He fals dead at Tryphons feet Nic. Arcas deserv'd who could so bravely Doe A better Fate and better Master too Are. Tryphon deserved his Gratitude to have Him he did free and all the rest enslave Sel. Arcas I wrong'd thinking he shook for Feare Enter Cleopatra Stratonice Hermione and Irene Cleo. The news of Tryphon's Death hath brought us here We heard that he by his own Hand did Dye Sel. See where he now Pale as his Guilt does lye They all goe towards the dead Body Cleo. This sight at once my Joy and Grief does raise Sâ—…ra 'T is an ignoble Triumph thus to gaze Sir let his Body be from hence convey'd He by his Death for all his Crimes has paid Sel. Since by the Justice done by Tryphons Hand The Throne of Syria does now empty stand And since the Tyrant to confirm his sway The Royall Line at once did make away Princes 't were 〈◊〉 we instantly agreed Who is the Worthiest Person to succeed And since his Merit only can pretend I judge Nicaâ—… should the Throne ascend Dem. Seleucus you my motion but prevent Are. I to whatboth propose with Joy consent To you alone the Syriâ—… Crown is due Nic. Excuse me Sir it does belong to you Nicanor kneels to Aretus Admire not that my self I prostrate thus Since now I kneel before Antiochus They all start and seem amaâ—…ed Preserv'd by Heaven from Tryphons bloody Pow'r To all the blessings of this glorious Hour Your Father Sir who found he did designe Are. takes Nica. up T' Usurp the Crown and kill the Royall Line Sent you that night by a safe hand to me Hoping that I shut up in privacy For when the King revoak'd the Generals place I in Retirement mourn'd out my Disgrace Might best protect you from the Tyrants Rage This noble Trust did all my Griefs asswage Dem. 'T was a high Proof that he your Virtue knew Since whil'st he Wrong'd you he did trust you too Nic. Out of my House but still within my Care You by the Gods till now protected were Under the name of Leâ—…'s son you went The Prince by whom you first to me were sent Who when your Father and the King was kill'd O'recome by Greif his Life to Death did yeild In reading this short Letter Sir you 'll know Why what you are till now I durst not show He gives Aretus a Letter Aretus reads Antiochus to Nicanor SInce Heaven this Ruine throwes on us I trust you with Antiochus Let him by you with Care be bred But till you see the Tyrant dead Oh I conjure you grant me this Let not himself know who he is Th' Affront my Father cast on you forgive And let me still in your Remembrance live ANTIOCHUS Aretus gives the Letter to Demetrius and Seleucus Sel. If 't is the Prince's hand the hand I know It is his writing Dem. His subscription too Nic. My Testimony were enough alone Since I thereby doe gain the Syrian Throne To which by all your Votes you would me bring Sel. We all acknowledge that you are our King Are. Though a lost Crown the Gods to me restore Two things there are which yet I value more Oh would to Heaven Seleucus that I knew How to be just both to my Love and you Sel. Under such loads of Guilt my self I find That I though forc'd by Love your Death design'd As I the Greatest Sufferings ought to bear And therefore yield t' indure the loss of Her A hopeless Love to the best End I bring Pleasing by it my Mistress and my King Bless'd if the Sin caus'd by my Love and Fate By this Atonement I can expiate Are. This Generous Act which now you for me doe Does most obliege me and Amaze me too Embracing him To Cleo. Now Madam I dare humbly beg of you To take that Heart which to your Eyes is due They make me know that 't is a greater thing To be their Captive then to be their King A King who does as his chief Glory own The Power of laying at your feet a Crown In taking it you 'l Raise his Joys above All things except your Beauty and his Love Nicanor who to me does Empire give I hope will yield that you should let me Live Which I shall not till I your Pleasure know Nic. The Duty Sir she to her King does owe. Cleo. That Love for which so Generously you sue I give not to your Title but to you Are. Though from your Father I receive a Throne Yet now you give me more then he has done Amidst these Joys which Heaven on me does send I dare not be Unmindful of my Friend Demetrius Sir Adores Fair Stratonice Nic. Sir I with Joy consent that she be his Dem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Madam so Guilty I have been to you That I scarce dare for your Forgiveness Sue Mercy it self but rarely does bestow At