13. But Death in all her forms appears From every thing he sees and hears For whom he leads and whom he bears 14. Love making all things else his Foes Like a fierce torrent overflows Whatever doth his course oppose 15. This was the cause the Poets sung Thy Mother from the Sea was sprung But they were mad to make thee young 16. Her Father not her Son art thou From our desires our actions grow And from the Cause the Effect must flow 17. Love is as old as place or time 'T was he the fatal Tree did climb Grandsire of Father Adam's crime 18. Well mayst thou keep this world in awe Religion Wisdom Honour Law The tyrant in his triumph draw 19. 'T is he commands the Powers above Phoebus resigns his Darts and Iove His Thunder to the God of Love 20. To him doth his feign'd Mother yield Nor Mars her Champions flaming shield Guards him when Cupid takes the Field 21. He clips hopes wings whose aery bliss Much higher than fruition is But less than nothing if it miss 22. When matches Love alone projects The Cause transcending the Effects That wild-fire's quencht in cold neglects 23. Whilst those Conjunctions prove the best Where Love 's of blindness dispossest By perspectives of Interest 24. Though Solomon with a thousand wives To get a wise Successor strives But one and he a Fool survives 25. Old Rome of Children took no care They with their Friends their beds did share Secure t'adopt a hopeful Heir 26. Love drowsie days and stormy nights Makes and breaks Friendship whose delights Feed but not glut our Appetites 27. Well chosen Friendship the most noble Of Vertues all our joys makes double And into halves divides our trouble 28. But when the unlucky knot we tye Care Avarice Fear and Jealousie Make Friendship languish till it dye 29. The Wolf the Lyon and the Bear When they their prey in pieces tear To quarrel with themselves forbear 30. Yet timerous Deer and harmless Sheep When Love into their veins doth creep That law of Nature cease to keep 31. Who then can blame the Amorous Boy Who the Fair Helen to enjoy To quench his own set fire on Troy 32. Such is the worlds preposterous fate Amongst all Creatures mortal hate Love though immortal doth Create 33. But Love may Beasts excuse for they Their actions not by Reason sway But their brute appetites obey 34. But Man 's that Savage Beast whose mind From Reason to self-Love declin'd Delights to prey upon his Kind ON Mr ABRAHAM COWLEY His Death and Burial amongst the Ancient Poets OLd Chaucer like the morning Star To us discovers day from far His light those Mists and Clouds dissolv'd Which our dark Nation long involv'd But he descending to the shades Darkness again the Age invades Next like Aurora Spencer rose Whose purple blush the day foreshows The other three with his own fires Phoebus the Poets God inspires By Shakespear ' s Iohnson ' s Fletcher ' s lines Our Stages lustre Romes's outshines These Poets neer our Princes sleep And in one Grave their Mansion keep They liv'd to see so many days Till time had blasted all their Bays But cursed be the fatal hour That pluckt the fairest sweetest flower That in the Muses Garden grew And amongst wither'd Lawrels threw Time which made them their Fame outlive To Cowly scarce did ripeness give Old Mother Wit and Nature gave Shakespear and Fletcher all they have In Spencer and in Iohnson Art Of flower Nature got the start But both in him so equal are None knows which bears the happy'st share To him no Author was unknown Yet what he wrote was all his own He melted not the ancient Gold Nor with Ben Iohnson did make bold To plunder all the Roman stores Of Poets and of Orators Horace his wit and Virgil's state He did not steal but emulate And when he would like them appear Their Garb but not their Cloaths did wear He not from Rome alone but Greece Like Iason brought the Golden Fleece To him that Language though to none Of th' others as his own was known On a stiff gale as Flaccus sings The Theban Swan extends his wings When through th' aetherial Clouds he flies To the same pitch our Swan doth rise Old Pindar's flights by him are reacht When on that gale his wings are stretcht His fancy and his judgment such Each to the other seem'd too much His severe judgment giving Law His modest fancy kept in awe As rigid Husbands jealous are When they believe their Wives too fair His English stream so pure did flow As all that saw and tasted know But for his Latin vein so clear Strong full and high it doth appear That were immortal Virgil here Him for his judge he would not fear Of that great Portraicture so true A Copy Pencil never drew My Muse her Song had ended here But both their Genii strait appear Joy and amazement her did strike Two Twins she never saw so like T was taught by wise Pythagoras One Soul might through more Bodies pass Seeing such Transmigration here She thought it not a Fable there Such a resemblance of all parts Life Death Age Fortune Nature Arts Then lights her Torch at theirs to tell And shew the world this Parallel Fixt and contemplative their looks Still turning over Natures Books Their works chast moral and divine Where profit and delight combine They guilding dirt in noble verse Rustick Philosophy rehearse When Heroes Gods or God-like Kings They praise on their exalted wings To the Celestial orbs they climb And with the Harmonious sphears keep time Nor did their actions fall behind Their words but with like candour shin'd Each drew fair Characters yet none Of these they feign'd excels their own Both by two generous Princes lov'd Who knew and judg'd what they approv'd Yet having each the same desire Both from the busie throng retire Their Bodies to their Minds resign'd Car'd not to propagate their Kind Yet though both fell before their hour Time on their off-spring hath no power Nor fire nor fate their Bays shall blast Nor Death's dark vail their day o'recast A Speech against Peace at the close Committee To the Tune of I went from England BUt will you now to Peace incline And languish in the main design And leave us in the lurch I would not Monarchy destroy But only as the way to enjoy The ruine of the Church Is not the Bishops Bill deny'd And we still threatned to be try'd You see the Kings embraces Those Councels he approv'd before Nor doth he promise which is more That we shall have their Places Did I for this bring in the Scot For 't is no Secret now the Plot Was Sayes and mine together Did I for this return again And spend a Winter there in vain Once more to invite them hither Though more our Money than our Cause Their Brotherly assistance draws My labour was not lost At my return I brought you thence
word by word and line by line Those are the labour'd births of slavish brains Not the effects of Poetry but pains Cheap vulgar arts whose narrowness affords No flight for thoughts but poorly sticks at words A new and nobler way thou dost pursue To make Translations and Translators too They but preserve the Ashes thou the Flame True to his sense but truer to his fame Foording his current where thou find'st it low Let'st in thine own to make it rise and flow Wisely restoring whatsoever grace It lost by change of Times or Tongues or Place Nor fetter'd to his Numbers and his Times Betray'st his Musick to unhappy Rimes Nor are the nerves of his compacted strength Stretch'd and dissolv'd into unsinnewed length Yet after all lest we should think it thine Thy spirit to his circle dost confine New names new dressings and the modern cast Some Scenes from persons alter'd had out-fac'd The world it were thy work for we have known Some thank't and prais'd for what was less their own That Masters hand which to the life can trace The airs the lines and features of a face May with a free and bolder stroke express A varyed posture or a flatt'ring Dress He could have made those like who made the rest But that he knew his own design was best A Dialogue between Sir John Pooley and Mr. Thomas Killigrew P. TO thee dear Thom. my self addressing Most queremoniously confessing That I of late have been compressing Destitute of my wonted Gravity I perpetrated Arts of Pravity In a contagious Concavity Making efforts with all my Puissance For some Venereal Reiouissance I got as one may say a nuysance K. Come leave this fooling Cousin Pooley And in plain English tell us truely Why under th' eyes you look so blewly 'T is not your hard words will avail you Your Latin and your Greek will fail you Till you speak plainly what doth ail you When young you led a life Monastick And wore a Vest Ecclesiastick Now in your Age you grow Fantastick P. Without more Preface or Formality A Female of Malignant Quality Set fire on Label of Mortality The Faeces of which Ulceration Brought o're the Helm a Distillation Through the Instrument of Propagation K. Then Cousin as I guess the matter You have been an old Fornicater And now are shot 'twixt wind and Water Your style has such an ill complexion That from your breath I fear infection That even your mouth needs an injection You that were once so oeconomick Quitting the thrifty style Laconick Turn Prodigal in Makeronick Yet be of comfort I shall send a Person of knowledge who can mend a Disaster in your nether end-a Whether it Pullen be or Shanker Cordee and crooked like an Anchor Your cure too costs you but a spanker Or though your Piss be sharp as Razor Do but confer with Dr. Frazer Hee 'l make your Running Nag a Pacer Nor shall you need your Silver quick Sir Take Mongo Murry ' s Black Elixir And in a week it Cures your P Sir But you that are a Man of Learning So read in Virgil so discerning Methinks towards fifty should take warning Once in a Pit you did miscarry That danger might have made one wary This Pit is deeper then the Quarry P. Give me not such disconsolation Having now cur'd my Inflamation To Ulcerate my Reputation Though it may gain the Ladies favour Yet it may raise an evil savour Upon all grave and staid behaviour And I will rub my Mater Pia To find a Rhyme to Gonorrheia And put it in my Letania An occasional Imitation of a Modern Author upon the Game of Chess A Tablet stood of that abstersive Tree Where Aethiops swarthy Bird did build her nest Inlaid it was with Lybian Ivory Drawn from the Jaws of Africks prudent beast Two Kings like Saul much Taller then the rest Their equal Armies draw into the Field Till one take th' other Prisoner they contest Courage and Fortune must to Conduct yield This Game the Persian Magi did invent The force of Eastern Wisdom to express From thence to busie Europaeans sent And styl'd by Modern Lombards pensive Chess Yet some that fled from Troy to Rome report Penthesilea Priam did oblige Her Amazons his Trojans taught this sport To pass the tedious hours of ten years Siege There she presents her self whilst King and Peers Look gravely on whilst fierce Bellona fights Yet Maiden modesty her Motions steers Nor rudely skips o're Bishops heads like Knights The Passion of Dido for Aeneas HAving at large declar'd Ioves Ambassy Cyllenius from Aeneas straight doth flye He loth to disobey the Gods command Nor willing to forsake this pleasant Land Asham'd the kind Eliza to deceive But more afraid to take a solemn leave He many waies his labouring thoughts revolves But fear o're-coming shame at last resolves Instructed by the God of Thieves to steal Himself away and his escape conceal He calls his Captains bids them Rigg the Fleet That at the Port they privately should meet And some dissembled colour to project That Dido should not their design suspect But all in vain he did his Plot disguise No Art a watchful Lover can surprize She the first motion finds Love though most sure Yet always to it self seems unsecure That wicked Fame which their first Love proclaim'd Fore-tells the end The Queen with rage inflam'd Thus greets him thou dissembler would'st thou flye Out of my arms by stealth perfidiously Could not the hand I plighted nor the Love Nor thee the Fate of dying Dido move And in the depth of Winter in the night Dark as thy black designs to take thy flight To plow the raging Seas to Coasts unknown The Kingdom thou pretend'st to not thine own Were Troy restor'd thou shouldst mistrust a wind False as thy Vows and as thy heart unkind Fly'st thou from me by these dear drops of brine I thee adjure by that right hand of thine By our Espousals by our Marriage-bed If all my kindness ought have merited If ever I stood fair in thy esteem From ruine me and my lost house redeem Cannot my Prayers a free acceptance find Nor my Tears soften an obdurate mind My Fame of Chastity by which the Skies I reacht before by thee extinguisht dies Into my Borders now Iarbas falls And my revengeful Brother scales my walls The wild Numindians will advantage take For thee both Tyre and Carthage me forsake Hadst thou before they flight but left with me A young Aeneas who resembling thee Might in my sight have sported I had then Not wholly lost nor quite deserted been By thee no more my Husband but my Guest Betray'd to mischiefs of which death 's the least With fixed looks he stands and in his Breast By Ioves command his struggling care supprest Great Queen your favours and deserts so great Though numberless I never shall forget No time until my self I have forgot Out of my heart Eliza's name shall blot But my unwilling
Though in the active part they cannot serve In action Learned Counsellours their Age Profession or Disease forbids t' ingage Nor to Philosophers is praise deny'd Whose wise Instructions After-ages guide Yet vainly most their Age in study spend No end of writing Books and to no end Beating their brains for strange and hidded things Whose Knowledge nor Delight nor Profit brings Themselves with doubts both day and night perplex Nor Gentle Reader please or teach but vex Books should to one of these four ends conduce For Wisdom Piety Delight or Use. What need we gaze upon the spangled Sky Or into Matters hidden Causes pry To describe every City Stream or Hill I' th World our fancy with vain Arts to fill What is 't to hear a Sophister that pleads Who by the Ears the deceiv'd Audience leads If we were wise these things we should not mind But more delight in easie matters find Learn to live well that thou may'st dye so too To live and dye is all we have to do The way if no Digression's made is even And free access if we but ask is given Then seek to know those things which make us blest And having found them lock them in thy Breast Enquiring then the way go on nor slack But mend thy pace nor think of going back Some their whole Age in these enquiries wast And dye like Fools before one step they past 'T is strange to know the way and not t' advance That Knowledge is far worse then Ignorance The Learned teach but what they teach not do And standing still themselves make others go In vain on Study time away we throw When we forbear to act the things we know The Souldier that Philosopher well blam'd Who long and loudly in the Schools declaim'd Tell said the Souldier venerable Sir Why all these Words this Clamour and this stir Why do disputes in wrangling spend the day Whilst one says only yea and t' other nay Oh said the Doctor we for Wisdom toyl'd For which none toyls too much the Souldier smil'd Y' are gray and old and to some pious use This mass of Treasure you should now reduce But you your store have hoarded in some bank For which th' Infernal Spirits shall you thank Let what thou learnest be by practise shown 'T is said that Wisdoms Children make her known What 's good doth open to th' enquirer stand And it self offers to th' accepting hand All things by Order and true Measures done Wisdom will end as well as she begun Let early care thy main Concerns secure Things of less moment may delays endure Men do not for their Servants first prepare And of their Wives and Children quit the care Yet when we 're sick the Doctor 's fetch 't in haste Leaving our great concernment to the last When we are well our hearts are only set Which way we care not to be Rich or Great What shall become of all that we have got We only know that us it follows not And what a trifle is a moments Breath Laid in the Scale with everlasting Death What 's Time when on Eternity we think A thousand Ages in that Sea must sink Time 's nothing but a word a million Is full as far from Infinite as one To whom thou much dost owe thou much must pay Think on the Debt against th' accompting-day God who to thee Reason and Knowledge lent Will ask how these two Talents have been spent Let not low Pleasures thy high Reason blind He 's mad that seeks what no man e're could find Why should we fondly please our Sense wherein Beasts us exceed nor feel the stings of sin What thoughts Man 's Reason better can become Then th' expectation of his welcom home Lords of the World have but for Life their Lease And that too if the Lessor please must cease Death cancels Natures Bonds but for our Deeds That Debt first paid a strict account succeeds If here not clear'd no Surety-ship can Bail Condemned Debtors from th' Eternal Goal Christ's Blood 's our Balsom if that cures us here Him when our Judge we shall not find severe His yoke is easie when by us embrac'd But loads and galls if on our Necks 't is cast Be just in all thy actions and if joyn'd With those that are not never change thy mind If ought obstruct thy course yet stand not still But wind about till thou have topp'd the Hill To the same end Men several Paths may tread As many Doors into one Temple lead And the same hand into a fist may close Which instantly a Palm expanded shows Justice and Faith never forsake the Wise Yet may occasion put him in Disguise Not turning like the wind but if the state Of things must change he is not obstinate Things past and future with the present weighs Nor credulous of what vain rumour says Few things by Wisdom are at first believ'd An easie Ear deceives and is deceiv'd For many Truths have often past for Lies And Lies as often put on Truths Disguise As Flattery too oft like Friendship shows So them who speak plain Truth we think our Foes No quick reply to dubious questions make Suspence and caution still prevent mistake When any great design thou dost intend Think on the means the manner and the end All great Concernments must delays endure Rashness and haste make all things unsecure And if uncertain thy Pretensions be Stay till fit time wear out uncertainty But if to unjust things thou dost pretend E're they begin let thy Pretensions end Let thy Discourse be such that thou may'st give Profit to others or from them receive Instruct the Ignorant to those that live Under thy care good rules and patterns give Nor is 't the least of Vertues to relieve Those whom afflictions or oppressions grieve Commend but sparingly whom thou dost love But less condemn whom thou dost not approve Thy Friend like Flattery too much Praise doth wrong And too sharp censure shews an evil tongue But let inviolate Truth be always dear To thee even before Friendship Truth prefer Then what thou mean'st to give still promise less Hold fast the Power thy Promise to increase Look forward what 's to come and back what 's past Thy life will be with Praise and Prudence grac'd What loss or gain may follow thou may'st guess Thou then wilt be secure of the success Yet be not always on affairs intent But let thy thoughts be easie and unbent When our Minds Eyes are dis-ingag'd and free They clearer farther and distinctly see They quicken sloth perplexities untye Make roughness smooth and hardness mollifie And though our hands from labour are releast Yet our minds find even when we sleep no rest Search not to find how other Men offend But by that Glass thy own offences mend Still seek to learn yet care not much from whom So it be Learning or from whence it come Of thy own actions others judgments learn Often by small great matters we discern
through the eies And ears of other men it takes a tincture From every channel and still bears a relish Of Flattery or private ends Mor. But danger and necessity Dare speak the truth Abd. But commonly They speak not till it is too late And for Haly He that shall tell him of the Princes danger But tells him that himself is safe Scena Secunda Enter King Princess and Solyman King Clear up clear up sweet Erythaea That cloud that hangs upon thy brow presages A greater storm than all the Turkish power Can throw upon us me-thinks I see my fortune Setling her looks by thine and in thy smile Sits victory and in thy frown our ruine Why should not hope As much erect our thoughts as fear deject them Why should we Anticipate our sorrows 'T is like those That die for fear of death What is 't you doubt his courage or his fortune Princess Envy it self could never doubt his courage King Then let not love do worse by doubting that Which is but valours slave a wise well-temper'd valour For such is his those Giants death and danger Are but his Ministers and serve a Master More to be fear'd than they the blind Goddess Is led amongst the Captives in his triumph Princess I had rather she had eyes for if she saw him Sure she would love him better but admit She were at once a Goddess and his slave Yet fortune valour all is overborn By numbers as the long resisting Bank By the impetuous Torrent King That 's but rumour Ne're did the Turk invade our Territory But Fame and Terrour doubled still their files But when our Troops encountred then we found Scarce a sufficient matter for our fury One brings word of a Messenger Solyman conduct him in 'T is surely from the Prince Enter Post and delivers a Letter King Give it our Secretaries I hope the Prince is well Post. The Letter will inform you Enter a Mess. Mess. Sir the Lords attend you Ex. Princess Enter Lords King What news from the Army Lord. Please you to hear the Letter King Read it Lord. The Turk enraged with his last years overthrow Hath re-enforc't his Army with the choice of all his Janizars And the flow'r of his whole Empire we Understand by some fugitives that he hath commanded The Generals to return with victory or expect A shameful death what I shall further do Their numbers five times exceeding ours I desire to receive directions from your Majesties command King Send away all our Guards Let fresh supplies of victuals and of money Lord. Your Treasures Are quite exhausted the Exchequer 's empty King Send to the Bankers Ab. Sir upon your late demands They answered they were poor King Sure the Villains hold a correspondence With the enemy and thus they would betray us First give us up to want then to contempt And then to ruine but tell those sons of earth I 'le have their money or their heads Wind a horn 'T is my command when such occasions are No Plea must serve 't is cruelty to spare Another Messenger Exeunt Lords King The Prince transported with his youthful heat I fear hath gon too far 'T is some disaster Or else he would not send so thick well bring him in I am prepar'd to hear the worst of evils Enter Solyman and two Captains Cap. kisses his hand King What is the Prince besieged in his Trenches And must have speedy aid or die by famine Or hath he rashly tri'd the chance of War And lost his Army and his Liberty Tell me what Province they demand for ransom Or if the worst of all mishaps hath fallen Speak for he could not die unlike himself Speak freely and yet me-thinks I read Something of better fortune in thy looks But dare not hope it Capt. Sir the Prince lives King And hath not lost his honour Cap. As safe in honour as in life King Nor liberty Cap. Free as the air he breaths King Return with speed Tell him he shall have money victuals men With all the haste they can be levied Farewel Offers to go Cap. But Sir I have one word more King Then be brief Cap. So now you are prepar'd and I may venture King What is 't Cap. Sir a Fathers love mixt with a Fathers care This shewing dangers greater and that nearer Have rais'd your fears too high and those remov'd Too suddenly would let in such a deluge Of joy as might oppress your aged spirits Which made me gently first remove your fears That so you might have room to entertain Your fill of joy Your Son 's a Conquerour King Delude me not with fained hopes false joys It cannot be And if he can but make A fair Retreat I shall account it more Than all his former conquests those huge numbers Arm'd with despair the flow'r of all the Empire Cap. Sir I have not us'd to tell you tales or fables And why should you suspect your happiness Being so constant On my life 't is true Sir King Well I 'le no more suspect My fortune nor thy faith Thou and thy news most welcom Solyman Go call the Princess and the Lords they shall Participate our joyes as well as cares Enter Princess and Lords King Fair daughter blow away those mists clouds And let thy eyes shine forth in their full lustre Invest them with thy loveliest smiles put on Thy choycest looks his coming will deserve them Princess What is the Prince return'd with safety 'T is beyond belief or hope King I sweet Erythaea Laden with spoyls and honour all thy fears Thy wakeful terrors and affrighting dreams Thy morning sighs and evening tears have now Their full rewards And you my Lords Prepare for Masques Triumphs Let no circumstance Be wanting that becomes The greatness of our State or Joy Behold he comes Enter Prince with Captains and two Captive Bashawes King Welcom brave son as welcom to thy father As Phoebus was to Iove when he had slain Th' ambitious Giants that assail'd the sky And as my power resembles that of Ioves So shall thy glory like high Phoebus shine As bright and as immortal Prince Great Sir all acquisition Of Glory as of Empire here I lay before Your Royal feet happy to be the Instrument To advance either Sir I challenge nothing But am an humble suitor for these prisoners The late Commanders of the Turkish powers Whose valours have deserv'd a better fortune King Then what hath thine deserv'd th' are thine brave Mirzah Worthy of all thy Royal Ancestors And all those many Kingdoms which their vertue Or got or kept though thou hadst not been born to 't But daughter still your looks are sad No longer I 'le defer your joys go take him Into thy chast embrace and whisper to him That welcom which those blushes promise Exit King Prince My Erythaea why entertain'st thou with so sad a brow My long desir'd return thou wast wont With kisses and sweet smiles to welcom home My victories
Letter Post. Sir upon your late command To guard the passages and search all packets This to the Prince was intercepted King opens it and reads it to him self King Here Abdal read it Abdal reads The Letter Ab. reads Sir we are assured how unnaturally your fathers intentions Are towards you and how cruel towards us we have Made an escape not so much to seek our own As to be instruments of your safety We will be In arms upon the borders upon your command Either to seek danger with you or to receive you If you please to seek safety with us King Now my Lords Alas my fears are causless and ungrounded Fantastick dreams and melancholick fumes Of crazy stomacks and distempered brains Has this convinc'd you Mor. Sir we see Some reason you should fear but whom we know not 'T is possible these Turks may play the Villains Knowing the Prince the life of all our hopes Staff of our Age and pillar of our Empire And having fail'd by force may use this Art To ruine him and by their treason here To make their peace at home Now should this prove a truth when he ha's suffered Death or disgrace which are to him the same 'T will be too late to say you were mistaken And then to cry him mercy Sir we beseech you A while suspend your doom till time produce Her wonted off-spring Truth King And so expecting The event of what you think shall prove the experiment Of what I fear but since he is my son I cannot have such violent thoughts toward him As his towards me he only shall remain A prisoner till his death or mine enlarge him Ex. Lords Man Haly. Solyman peeps in King Away away we 're serious Sol. But not so serious to neglect your safety King Art thou in earnest Sol. Nay Sir I can be serious as well as my betters King What 's the matter Sol. No I am an inconsiderable fellow and know nothing King Let 's hear that nothing then Sol. The Turks Sir King What of them Sol. When they could not overcome you by force they 'll Do it by treachery King As how Sol. Nay I can see as far into a milstone as another man They have corrupted some ill-affected persons King What to do Sol. To nourish Jealousies 'twixt you and your Son King My son Where is he Sol. They say he 's posting hither King Haly we are betrayed prevented look to the Ports and let The Guards be doubled how far 's his Army hence Is the City in arms to joyn with him Sol. Arms and joyn with him I understand you not King Didst thou not say the Prince was coming Sol. I heard some foolish people say you had sent for Him as a Traytor which to my apprehension was on Purpose spoken to make you odious and him desperate And so divide the people into faction A Plot of Dangerous consequence as I take it Sir King And is this all thou sawcy trifling fool Haly. Sir this seeming fool is a concealed dangerous knave Under that safe disguise he thinks he may say or do Any thing you 'll little think him the chief conspirator The only spy t' inform the Prince of all is done in Court King Let him be rack't till he confess The whole conspiracy Sol. Rackt I have told you all I know and more There 's nothing more in me Sir but may be squeezed Out without racking only a stoop or two of Wine And if there had not been too much of that you had Not had so much of the other King That 's your cunning sirrah Sol. Cunning Sir I am no Polititian and was ever thought to have Too little wit and too much plain dealing for a States-man Exit King Away with him Ha. But somthing must be done Sir to satisfie the people 'T is not enough to say he did design Or plot or think but did attempt some violence And then some strange miraculous escape For which our Prophet must have publick thanks And this false colour shall delude the eyes Of the amazed vulgar King 'T is well advis'd Enter Mess. Mess. Sir His Highness is return'd King And unconstrain'd But with what change of countenance Did he receive the message Mess. With some amazement But such as sprung from wonder not from fear It was so unexpected King Leave us Haly I ever found thee honest truer to me Than mine own bloud and now 's the time to shew it For thou art he my love and trust hath chosen To put in action my design surprize him As he shall pass the Galleries I 'le place A guard behind the Arras when thou hast him Since blinded with ambition he did soar Like a seel'd Dove his crime shall be his punishment To be depriv'd of sight which see perform'd With a hot steel Now as thou lov'st my safety Be resolute and sudden Ha. 'T is severe But yet I dare not intercede it shall be done But is that word irrevocable King I as years or ages past relent not if thou do'st Exit King Enter Mirvan Mir. Why so melancholy is the design discovered Ha. No but I am made the instrument That still endeavoured to disguise my plots With borrowed looks and make 'em walk in darkness To act 'em now my self be made the mark For all the peoples hate the Princess curses And his sons rage or the old Kings inconstancy For this to Tyranny belongs To forget service but remember wrongs Mir. But could not you contrive Some fine pretence to cast it on some other Ha. No he dare trust no other had I given But the least touch of any private quarrel My malice to his son not care of him Had then begot this service Mir. 'T is but t'other plot my Lord you know The King by other wives had many sons Soffy is but a Child and you already Command the Emperours Guard procure for me The Government o' th' City when he dies Urge how unfortunate those States have been Whose Princes are but children then set the Crown Upon some others head that may acknowledge And owe the Empire to your gift Ha. It shall be done Abdal who commands The City is the Princes friend and therefore Must be displac'd and thou shalt straight succeed him Thou art my better Genius honest Mirvan Greatness we owe to Fortune or to Fate But wisdom only can secure that state Ex. Enter Prince at one door and Princess at another Princess You 're double welcom now my Lord your coming Was so unlookt for Prince To me I 'me sure it was Know'st thou the cause for sure it was important That calls me back so suddenly Princess I am so ignorant I knew not you were sent for Waking I know no cause but in my sleep My fancy still presents such dreams and terrors As did Andromache's the night before Her Hector fell but sure 't is more than fancy Either our Guardian Angels or the Gods Inspire us or some natural instinct Fore-tells approaching dangers
Hell But a long sleepless night and what 's their torment But to compare past joyes with present sorrows And what can death deprive me of the sight Of day of children friends and hope of Empire And whatsoever others lose in death In life I am depriv'd of then I will live Only to die reveng'd nor will I go Down to the shades alone Prompt me some witty some revengeful Devil His Devil that could make a bloudy feast Of his own son and call the gods his guests Her 's that could kill her aged Sire and cast Her Brothers scatter'd limbs to Wolves and Vultures Or his that slew his Father to enjoy His mothers bed and greater than all those My fathers Devil Come mischief I embrace thee fill my soul And thou Revenge ascend and bear the Scepter O're all my passions banish thence All that are cool and tame Know old Tyrant My heart 's too big to break I know thy fears Exceed my sufferings and my revenge Though but in hope is much a greater pleasure Than thou canst take in punishing Then my anger Sink to the Center of my heart and there Lie close in ambush till my seeming patience Hath made the cruel Tyrant as secure Though with as little cause as now he 's jealous Whose there Enter two or three I find my nature would return To her old course I feel an inclination To some repose welcome thou pleasing slumber A while embrace me in thy leaden arms And charm my careful thoughts Conduct me to my bed Exit Enter King Haly and Caliph King How do's the Prince how bears he his restraint Ha. Why Sir as all great spirits Bear great and sudden changes with such impatience As a Numidian Lion when first caught Endures the toyl that holds him He would think of nothing But present death and sought all violent means To compass it But time hath mitigated Those furious heats he now returns to food And sleep admits the conversation Of those that are about him King I would I had not So easily believ'd my fears I was too sudden I would it were undone Cal. If you lament it That which now looks like Justice will be thought An inconsiderate rashness King But there are in nature Such strong returns That I punisht him I do not grieve but that he was my Son Ha. But it concerns you to bear up your passion And make it good for if the people know That you have cause to grieve for what is done They 'll think you had no cause at first to do it King to the Ca. Go visit him from me and teach him patience Since neither all his fury nor my sorrow Can help what 's past tell him my severity To him shall in some measure be requited By my indulgence to his children And if he desire it Let them have access to him endeavour to take off His thoughts from revenge by telling him of Paradise and I know not what pleasures In the other world Cal. I shall Sir Ex. King and C. Ma. Haly. Enter Mirvan Ha. Mirvan The King relents and now there 's left No refuge but the last he must be poysoned And suddenly lest he survive his Father Mir. But handsomly lest it appear Ha. Appear To whom you know there 's none about him But such as I have plac't and they shall say 'T was discontent or abstinence Mir. But at the best 'T will be suspected Ha. Why though 't be known We 'll say he poysoned himself Mir. But the curious will pry further Than bare report and the old King's suspitions Have piercing eyes Ha. But those nature Will shortly close you see his old disease Grows strong upon him Mir. But if he should recover Ha. But I have cast his Nativity he cannot he must not I' th' mean time I have so besieg'd him So blockt up all the passages and plac'd So many Centinels and Guards upon him That no intelligence can be convey'd But by my instruments But this business will require More heads and hands than ours Go you to the prison And bring the Keeper privately to me To give him his instructions Ex. several ways Enter Prince and Caliph Cal. Sir I am commanded by the King To visit you Prince What to give a period to my life And to his fears You 're welcome here 's a throat A heart or any other part ready to let In death and receive his commands Ca. My Lord I am no messenger nor minister of death 'T is not my function Prince I should know that voice Ca. I am the Caliph and am come to tell you your Father Is now return'd to himself Nature ha's got The victory o're passion all his rigour Is turn'd to grief and pity Prince Alas good man I pity him and his infirmities His doubts and fears and accidents of age Which first provok'd his cruelty Ca. He bid me tell you His love to yours should amply recompence His cruelty to you And I dare say 't is real For all his thoughts his pleasures and delights Are fixt on Fatyma when he is sad She comforts him when sick she 's his Physitian And were it not for the delight he takes In her I think hee 'd die with sorrow Prince But how are his affections fixt so strangely On her alone sure 't is not in his nature For then he had lov'd me or hated her Because she came from me Ca. 'T is her desert She 's fair beyond comparison and witty Above her age and bears a manly spirit Above her sex Prince But may not I admire her Is that too great a happiness pray let her make it Her next suit to be permitted to visit me her self Ca. She shall Sir I joy to see your mind So well compos'd I fear'd I should have found A tempest in your soul and came to lay it I 'le to the King I know to him that news will be Most acceptable Prince Pray do and tell him I have cast off all my passions and am now A man again fit for society And conversation Ca. I will Sir Exit Prince I never knew my self till now how on the sudden I 'me grown an excellent dissembler to out-do One at the first that has practiz'd it all his life So now I am my self again what is 't I feel within Me thinks some vast design Now takes possession of my heart and swells My labouring thoughts above the common bounds Of humane actions something full of horror My soul hath now decreed my heart does beat As if 't were forging thunder-bolts for Iove To strike the Tyrant dead So now I have it I have it 't is a gallant mischief Worthy my Father or my Fathers Son All his delight 's in Fatyma poor innocent But not more innocent than I and yet My Father loves thee and that 's crime enough By this act old Tyrant I shall be quit with thee while I was virtuous I was a stranger to thy bloud but now Sure thou wilt love