thy Clouds bear thy fair Head above The frowning World and mount a smiling Star In all thy Loads too low disdain to stoop 'T is brave to suffer when 't is poor to droop Queen Herm. Oh Prince thou hast read me so Divine a Lesson And painted Ruine in a Face so lovely That thou hast tuned my Soul to all the Musick Of a whole Quire of Angels Yes Tygranes To my too cruel Lord I will return Return to all the Pangs to all the Miseries Of ever mourning Love Life 's bitter Draught Lift to my Lips with that unshaking Hand For oh thou hast taught me to be greatly wretched To be Divinely Blest Tygr. Do this Herminia Queen No more my wandring Pilgrimage no Prince I 'll build my House of Sorrow in a Palace Under my Roof of Gold a Hermit dwell A Court my Cloyster and a Throne my Cell Exeunt all but Mirv. Mirv. So now the Toil is set and dear Destruction Comes rolling on apace What a vast Pile Of Ruine shall I build 'T is hard Herminia And I could pity thee Why should I pity My bloody Cradle and my barbarous Parents And shall I feel remorse when ev'n my Father To his own Blood ne'r felt it No vain pity Seek softer Breasts mine has no room to lodge thee Besides I move by that commanding Influence I know not Celestina by what Charm But thou hast bound my Soul and Nerv'd my Arm Joyn'd in thy Cause we that bright Comet Reign Thou the Fair Star and I the Blazing Train Exit ACT V. Enter Celestina Mirvan and Rosalin Cel. REturning home Victorious Mir. If to leave A hundred thousand Foes in Battle slain If Conquer'd Scythia and the great Orontes Led home in Persian Chains can write Victorious Tygranes wears that Title Cel. And to grace His Victory he brings the beauteous Fugitive A fair Attendant t' his Triumphant Chariot To court the Kind forgiving King's Reception Of the returning Wanderer Mir. If her Religious Ramble as I 've manag'd it Has not a little pav'd her Path too rough Some such good natur'd Office he intends her Cel. And thou my little Harbinger kindly com'st Before 'em to prepare me for their Welcome Mir. Yes Madam That 's my Errand For to give My self and dear sweet Villany their due Mischief and I have both rid Post to serve you Cel. My dearest little Devil how I love thee But Mirvan after this first lucky hit Darest thou be generous and play out thy Game Mir. Dare Can you doubt my Courage or my Constancy Is glorious Treason a design too great Or this Young Arm too dastard Have I launch'd Thus far and stood thus firm to stagger now By my fair Truth this poor Suspicion wrongs me Cel. It does indeed sweet Youth forgive my Fears I know thy honest Truth too well to trust it aside But my kind Boy I am afraid I have kept thee Awake too long I know this Nights hard Travel Has tired thy tender Limbs and thou want'st Rest To Bed my Boy and when thou hast repos'd awhile I 'll send my pretty Engineer and call thee Retire sweet Boy and Sleep Exit Mirvan Thy last young Fool. Thy Bed thy Grave Yes my kind honest Traytor Thy hand has done me too much faithful Service To leave thee a dangerous Tongue alive to spoil it Besides my little Tool my ripining Plot Has business for thy Death And bet thy Glory As thou hast liv'd so thou shalt serve me Dead And therefore sleep thy last Now my designs Are all in my own Breast Treason 's a Jewel When the rich Cabinet has but one Key They 're only truly Great who are safely so Ros Well Madam Your Propheticks are all Oracles And the mad roving Queens amazing Ramble Has fill'd the World with wonder Cel. Fame indeed Talks something loud Ros 'T is true the Prince has sent a soft Express And smoothly laid it all upon Religion Cel Religion in a Camp Ah Girl if the Soft King has easie Faith enough about him To think no warmer a Devotion hatch'd This gentle Pilgrimage than Zeal and Prayer-Books No Rosalin he 's not that blind believer I fear thou 'lt find that rougher Faith about him A gathering that black Storm as will rain Blood Ros Herminia's Blood and Celestina's Glory Her Scaffold and your Coronation Cel. Right That fullen Hour that wraps her head in Dust Wreaths mine in Diadems Herminia's Grave The Basis of my Pyramide 'T is true It is a little hard thou poor Herminia To cut so keen as I must But Ambition Ambition gives the blow and when that strikes Remorse nor Pity no faint check controuls That two-edg'd Fate tho' bar'd with Lives and Souls Exeunt Enter Tygranes Herminia and Orontes Prisoner Guards and Attendants 1 Atten. A nobler Game of Glory ne'er was play'd Fortune set high a Kingdom on a Battle And one bold Throw has swept the mighty stake 2 Atten. By this dear Light that Sun that smil'd to see The richest Crimson that the Earth e'er dy'd Not the proud Jove from the defeated Gyants Return'd with fairer Laurels than Tygranes Tygr. Enough my generous sharers of my Fame Your lavish Goodness plays too much the Prodigal My Victory dares not challenge half this Triumph 'T is true the Fortunate Tygranes fought But 't was the Justice of his Quarrel Conquer'd Courage is only ours Success is Heav'ns And for thy Fate Orontes Oront Mine Tygranes Is to curse Life and Thee my Life alone Too much to bear but Life and Shame together That double load of Misery Oh Prince When thy keen Sword cut through my Conquer'd Kingdom Had it been kind and carv'd my Heart too dying I could have loved thee but must hate thee Living Tygr. If thou repinest at thy ill Chance of War Blame thy bad Cause If overtaking Destiny Has dealt thee that hard Lot that does not please thee Remember King thy Ruine is no more Than thy Desert thy Punishment Orontes And sufferers are not choosers of their pain But to perform my last just Rites of Victory Thou Orimon go Visit our wrong'd Sister And in a Brothers Name bear her that Trophy A present from her own Triumphant Vengeance Oront To Clarismunda My too generous Conqueror This is so kind I 'll thank thee for this Goodness Even in my Grave For Oh! a Grace so high Thou givest me leave at those dear Feet to die Exit Guarded Tygr. But hark the King approaches My Beauteous Charge I am thy Champion now A prouder Cause than all my Scythian Conquests Enter King attended My Royal Lord low at your Sacred Feet With the fair Harvest of your own rich Field Thus prostrate kneels the proudest of your Vassals By your great Cause that fair inspiring Genius Led forth to Victory King Mine Tygranes my Inspiring Genius No a little sure Of that fair Cause that soft Inspirer Tygr. How my dread Liege King That Beauty those fair Eyes They were so kind to See you Conquer Tygr.
That ushering Squire to her amorous Errantry The Boy as Boys will talk the mighty Secret Alas too weighty for his tender strength Amongst his small Companions at their parting Dropt it behind him and the Tale thus handed Amongst my laughing Slaves it reacht my Ear. King So hot my Minion A follower of a Camp A Leaguer Devil Cel. Nay now you 're too unkind What has she done Remember Sir she brought you Youth and Beauty And scarcely tasted Love before she lost it And if poor Lady forsaken thus unkindly It takes some harmless freedom Is 't so great A Fault in our poor Sex to look abroad Only to borrow what we 've lost at home King My Brother too that Preaching Saint her Stallion Cel. Oh fie Sir such hard Words and such sad Names King Damnation This is Impudence enough To fire the Veins of Statues Had she plaid The private Wanton took her scapes in Covert In Groves or Shades But in the face of Day To run t' a Camp and publish my Dishonour Before Two hundred thousand Witnesses Like a trail'd Scent for the whole Hunting World To run me down a Monster Cel. Now the kind Gods defend your Sacred Peace Why all this Rage King Death At an Armies head The Din of War to tune her sporting Dalliance ' Larm'd to Lust and Trumpeted to Infamy Cel. Nay if I thought I should have rais'd this Storm King Now by the Fame of all my Royal Ancestors That sleep beneath the Dust or wake above the Stars If I show Mercy on 'em Cel. How Sir Mercy King Bring the returning Fiends but to my reach Not â—â—terceding Victory Crowns Laurels The Conquer'd Scythia nor Orontes Head Shall buy their forfeit Lives Cel. How Sir their Lives Oh Heavens what have I done King Madam forgive me one retiring Minute And think no common Fire my Bosom warms When it has pow'r to snatch me from these Arms. Exit Cel. Both both their Lives A hearty Promise King And I 'll take care thou shalt perform as heartily Yes through their Hearts my path to Empire lies Chalk'd out so plain my Devils must booty play If in so fair a Walk I miss my way Exeunt Scene A Camp Enter Herminia and Mirvan Mirv. Command the Chariot to attend Queen Where is 't thou lead'st me Boy Mirv. To a Cloyster Madam The silent Cell for your reposing Sorrows Queen But Boy is this my way Methinks I hear The sound of neighing Steeds and ecchoing Trumpets And view a spacious Plain before me cover'd With Tents and Standarts say my gentle Boy Where am I Mirv. In the Camp Queen Ha! In the Camp Mirv. The Persian Camp Queen Oh Boy What hast thou done Mirv. Nothing dear Madam only executed Your dread Commands Queen Mine Mirv. Since the Glorious choice Of your retiring Solitude a shrine Worthy so bright a Saint was Charge too weighty For my young Years I have conducted you This way that kind Tygranes Queen How Tygranes Mirv. Yes Madam that that generous Prince's care May be your Nobler Guide and kindly finish That Sacred Trust my weakness undeserves Queen Good Heaven The Prince Mirv. Madam I have sent for him Pardon th'officious Zeal of your poor Slave Queen Thou rash unthinking Boy Enter Tygranes Mirv. And see he 's here Tygr. Madam a pleasing but surprizing Message Told me that that all beauteous Excellence My Camp thus Honour'd with her Royal Presence Was pleas'd t' have some Commands for poor Tygranes Queen Commands Tygranes No that idle Boy That naughty thing Oh Prince I am all Confusion Tygr. Let not a faint desire check your fair Thoughts Nor doubt your Vassals Honours nor Obedience If there 's ought lodg'd within that Sacred Breast There needs no more than that dear Breath of Life To speak and to create Queen Alas Tygranes I know not what to say And yet my Silence Has such a guilty Look Forgive my Blushes And I will speak Oh Prince despairing Loves Tormenting Pangs have brought this wretched wanderer Stoll'n from a hated Court Tygr. How Madam Queen Stoll'n From all the Syrens Songs and Circes Bowls That from these Arms have stoll'n my dearest Lord. I have left th'uneasie Load of tarnish'd Diadems In some lone Cell to seek my Peace and Grave But this unlucky Guide this foolish Boy Mirv. My Royal Mistress too much Honour'd Confident But the important Charge too great my Zeal For her dear Service has surpriz'd her hither Only t'implore your kind assisting Hand Tygr. Madam in this rash Deed what have you done Queen Done Tygranes Left Infidelity Ingratitude False Oaths gay Sin and glitt'ring shame behind me Tygr. Yes left Shame to meet Shame Queen What says Tygranes Tygr. What all Mankind must say Oh Madam think Think what reflecting Names the censuring World Must give so frail a weakness Fled from Court Run poorly run Queen Yes with my wrongs Tygr. Wrongs Madam Are Wrongs so heavy as to out-weigh Honour Queen And is it that dishonourable Flight To quit the World to seek the Arms of Heaven Tygr. Heaven must be sought as Heaven prescribes our seeking Thou art a Wife Herminia and the Seal Of plighted Faith entail'd Obedience on thee Is this Commission'd Flight thy Lords Command Or ' cause he breaks his Vows must thou break thine Queen What 's this I hear Tygr. Wou'dst thou seek Heaven Herminia A noble Patience is thy Scale to mount it Is it a pain to live too near thy wrongs To see thy Lord run Faithless from thy Arms To an Adultress Bed Let thy wet Eyes Turn from his Shame and weep for his Conversion If he be False wait his return to Truth But if he ne'r return perform Thy part Finish thy lingring mourning Race of Martyrdom And ' win the Crown of Love Queen Oh Prince thou talk'st Tygr. As thou shouldst Act Herminia But this mean Ignoble Flight will blemish all thy Brightness Thy Fame thy Virtue thy Religion all stand frighted at the Thought Queen Kind Prince no more Tygr. Yes one thing more let my prevailing Pray'rs Recall thy wandring Reason and return thee To thy ungrateful Lord. Queen Enough dear Prince You 've wak'd my Shame and touch'd my Soul so near That I must follow where such Glory leads Tygr. Then instantly I 'll dispatch a kind Express T' excuse thy blushing Fault and smooth thy way Till then this Night accept a poor Pavilion Too mean a Palace But Respect and Reverence Shall make up what the humble Roof has wanting Queen Dispose me as you please Tygr. To Morrow's Sun decides the face of Scythia If Victory shall please t' attend my Chariot I 'll be my self thy proud returning Guard But if I fall with my last dying Breath To the surviving World I will bequeath thee A charge worthy the World protected Innocence Mirv. It goes on rarely Tyg Look up dear Madam Heav'n may still have Joys Reserved But if of all all hopes bereft Thy wrongs are all thy mournful portion left Shine through
Innocence Poor Herminia Dost not thou hang a blushing Ruby there Ros Gracious Heav'n Cel. Who talks of Heav'n Oh 't is a Golden Palace Where my kind Mirvan Jove's dear Darling Ganimede Fills the proud Thunderers Imperial Bowl To quaff the World's Confusion Ros Oh my Fears There 's something talks in these wild Dreams Cel. Fear Rosalin What canst thou fear my Wedding Robe won't please me Ah no! 't is dyed in that deep Royal Crimson Not all the Waters of the Sea can whiten Enter King Attendants and Guards King What 's this I see Why this disorder'd frame Is this a Dress Is this a Brow when Diadems Wait your receiving Hand The canker'd Sweets Of Lawless Joys no more Prepare to mount the bright Crown'd Queen of Persia Cel. The Queen of Persia Queen of Hell dull Fool Look Rosalin look Ros Look Madam Cel. Dost not see Yond' wrinkled wither'd Witch the sooty Proserpine She with that dowdy Face Great Pluto's Queen Enthron'd the Glorious Partner of Damnation And Celestina but a puny Devil No by yond' spightful Stars I cannot bear it I 'll dash the tumbling Hag from her proud Seat Snatch from her flaming Brow her blazing Diadem And mount her burning Throne King All raving Frenzy But tell me honest Rosalin how long Have these strange Phantoms all these waking Dreams Shook her soft peace Ros Since fair Herminia's Death Cel. Who names Herminia's Death I will not hear it There 's Treason in the sound But see Oh see She comes she comes she comes The Ghosts of Herminia and Tygranes descend in Glory Oh my sick Eye-balls How have I sin'd to wake these hideous Forms Have I done more than all my Sex beside Alas the poorest Lowborn Peasant Girl That never heard of Crowns above a Garland Yet but to Reign the Sovereign of the Plains And have the bending Knees of Swains and Bores Wou'd cut through Hearts and Lives to be a Queen And I have done no more King What says my Fairest Cel. Say King I say thou smelst too rank of Blood Blood easie cheated Fool King Death and Confusion There 's something in this dark mysterious Horror That strikes my aking Soul Pray Heav'n the poor Tygranes and Herminia Cel. Are a blest pair of ever Royal Martyrs Innocence Innocence Innocence Betray'd by me And by thee Murder'd King Murder'd Oh Cel. But look all Heavenly Fair cloath'd and enrob'd With the rich Beams of pure immortal Day Myriads of Angels and Eternal Quires All waiting for their Coronation Glory Yes mount fair Stars ye radiant Twins of Light Whilst I must set in Everlasting Night Dies King Dead Thou fair Curse and Painted Sin farewel Oh that my shame and Guilt were with thee Dead Ah no! a thousand Racking Tortures live To tear my sinking Soul Oh Blood Blood Blood Herminia Poor wrong'd sweetness could the price Of Crowns or Worlds restore thee to my Arms No Lovely Truth too late we find thy Charms Exeunt omnes FINIS EPILOGUE Spoken by Mrs. Rogers WELL Gentlemen our Author bids me say He Treats you with an Out-of-fashion Play His fair Court Miss perkt in her Raigning Glory In the late Age had been a modish Story But now the old dull Tale will never do And yet I 'll Swear the Play has something new New did I say Yes if it has no more Here 's Two new Legs you never saw before Nay and what 's more they come to Court you too Ay Sirs You see what Wonders you can do Bring a young Suppliant to those Sweet Faces To beg to our poor Play your kind good Graces Faith Sirs for once lay by your Critick Thunder Not for the Sensless Poet Hang him Blunder But for Our sakes Your angry Vengeance stay Consider Sirs this is the Womens Play And when we wooe your Favour sure you are Not so hard-hearted to deny our Prayer Besides let me intreat baulk not a poor Petitioner that never begg'd before Grant me but this First Suit a Boon so easie And in Return I 'll one day hope to please ye Encouraged by your Smiles a Beam so fair Here 's Two Good Works at once for I Declare You will both save a Play and make a Player