or expect A shamefull death what I shall further do Their numbers five times exceeding ours I desire to receive directions from your Majesties command King Let twenty thousand men be raised Let fresh supplyes of victuals and of money Be sent with speed Lords Sir your Treasures Are quite exhausted the Exchequer 's empty King Talke not to me of Treasures or Exchequers Send for five hundred of the wealthiest Burgers Their shops and ships are my Exchequer Abd. 'T were better you you could say their hearts Abd. aside Sir upon your late demands They answered they were poore King Sure the Villaines hold a correspondence With the enemie and thus they would betray us First give us up to want then to contempt And then to ruine but tell those sonnes of earth I le have their money or their heads Winde a horne 'T is my command when such occasions are No Plea must serve 't is cruelty to spare Another Post Exit Lords King The Prince transported with his youthfull heat I feare hath gone too farre 'T is some disaster Or else he would not send so thicke well bring him in I am prepar'd to heare the worst of evils Enter Solyman and two Captaines Cap. kisses his hand King What is the Prince besieged in his Trenches And must have speedy ayd or die by famine Or hath he rashly try'd the chance of warre And lost his Army and his Liberty Tell me what Province they demand for ransome Or if the worst of all mishaps hath fallen Speake for he could not die unlike himselfe Speak freely and yet me-thinkes I reade Something of better fortune in thy lookes But dare not hope it Cap. 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 aire he breathes King Returne with speed Tell him he shall have money victuals men With all the haste they can be levyed Farewell Offers to goe Cap. But Sir I have one word more King Then be briefe Cap. So now you are prepar'd and I may venture King What is 't Cap. Sir a Fathers love mixt with a Princes care This shewing dangers greater and that nearer Have rais'd your feares too high and those remov'd Too suddenly would let in such a deluge Of joy as might oppresse your aged spirits Which made me gently first remove your feares That so you might have roome to entertaine Your fill of joy Your sonn 's a Conquerour King Delude me not with fained hopes false joyes It cannot be And if he can but make A faire Retreat I shall account it more Then all his former conquests those huge numbers Arm'd with despaire the flower of all the Empire Cap. Sir I have not us'd to tell you tales or fables And why should you suspect your happinesse 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 newes most welcome Solyman Goe call the Princesse and the Lords they shall Participate our joyes as well as cares Enter Princesse and Lords King Faire daughter blow away those mists and clouds And let thy eyes shine forth in their full lustre Invest them with thy loveliest smiles put on Thy choycest lookes hee 's comming will deserve them Princesse What is the Prince return'd with safety 't is above Beleefe or hope King I sweet Erythaea Laden with spoyles and honour all thy feares Thy wakefull terrors and affrighting dreames Thy morning sighes and evening teares have now Their full rewards And you my Lords Prepare for Masques and Triumphs Let no circumstance Be wanting that becomes The greatnesse of our State or Joy Behold he comes Enter Prince with Captaines and two Captive Bashawes King Welcome brave sonne as welcome to thy father As Phoebus was to Iove when he had slaine Th' ambitious Gyants that assayl'd the skie And as my power resembles that of Ioves So shall thy glory like high Phoebus shine As bright and as immortall Prince Great Sir all acquisition Of Glory as of Empire here I lay before Your Royall 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 Royall Ancestors And all those many Kindomes which their vertue Or got or kept though thou hadst not beene borne to 't But daughter still your lookes are sad No longer I le deferre your joyes goe take him Into thy chaste embrace and whisper to him That welcome 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 welcome home My victories though bought with sweat and bloud And long expected Princesse Pardon Sir 'T is with our soules As with our eyes that after a long darknesse Are dazled at the approach of sudden light When i' th' midst of feares we are surpriz'd With unexpected happinesse the first Degrees of joy are meere astonishment And 't was so lately in a dreadfull dreame I saw my Lord so neare destruction Deprived of his eyes a wretched Captive Then shriekt my selfe awake then slept againe And dreamt the same my ill presaging fancy Suggesting still 't was true Prince Then I forgive thy sadnesse since love caus'd it For love is full of feares and feare the shadow Of danger like the shadow of our bodies Is greater then when that which is the cause Is farthest off Princesse But still there 's something That checks my joyes Nor can I yet distinguish Which is the apparition this or that Prince An apparition At night I shall resolve that doubt and make Thy dreames more pleasing Enter Haly and Mirvan Mir. The time has beene my Lord When I was no such stranger to your thoughts You were not wont to weare upon your brow A frowne or smile but still have thought me worthy At least to know the cause Ha. 'T is true Thy breast hath ever beene the Cabinet Where I have lockt my secrets Mir. And did you ever finde That any art could picke the locke or power Could force it open Ha. No I have ever found thee Trusty and secret But is 't observ'd i' th' Court That I am sad Mir. Observ'd 't is all mens wonder and discourse That in a Joy so great so universall You should not beare a part Ha. Discour'st of too Mir. Nothing but treason More commonly more boldly spoken So singular a sadnesse Must have a cause as strange as the effect And griefe conceal'd like hidden fire consumes Which flaming out would call in helpe to quench it Ha. But since thou canst not mend it To let thee know it will but make thee worse Silence and time shall cure it Mir. But in diseases when the cause is knowne 'T is more
Civill aswell as militarie for the one You have given the world an ample proofe already Now exercise the other 't is no lesse To governe justly make your Empire flourish With wholesome lawes in riches peace and plenty Then by the expence of wealth and bloud to make New acquisitions Prince That I was borne so great I owe to fortune And cannot pay that debt till vertue set me High in example as I am in title Till what the world calls fortune's gifts my actions May stile their owne rewards and those too little Princes are then themselves when they arise More glorious in mens thoughts then in their eyes Ha. Sir your fame Already fils the world and what is infinite Cannot receive degrees but will swallow All that is added as our Caspian sea Receives our rivers and yet seemes not fuller And if you tempt her more the winde of fortune May come about and take another point And blast your glories Prince No My glories are past danger they 're full blowne Things that are blasted are but in their bud And as for fortune I nor love nor feare her I am resolved goe Haly flatter still your aged Master Still sooth him in his pleasures and still grow Great by those arts Well farewell Court Where vice not onely hath usurp't the place But the reward and even the name of vertue Wee 'le goe and hunt it is a Princely sport And much resembles warre Cap. Such warres as ours Where we have us'd to follow chases Prince It shewes us pretty dangers and acquaints us With scituations while I view the hills The thickets and the rivers here me-thinkes With best advantage I could pitch my campe Here range my Army there the battaile joyne Here make a safe retreat and there enclose The enemie as beasts within a toyle And yet I can observe the chased Stagge How he can cast about to seeke his safety And when he sees his death is unavoydable How he will weepe I can observe the Dogs too How some in swiftnesse some in scent excell Others in cry But let us lose no time Me-thinkes the Courts a prison Ex Man Ha. Still still Sleighted and scorn'd yet this affront Hath stampt a noble title on my malice And married it to Justice The King is old And when the Prince succeedes I 'me lost past all recovery then I Must meet my danger and destroy him first But cunningly and closely or his sonne And wife like a fierce Tygresse will devoure me There 's danger every way and since 't is so 'T is brave and noble when the falling waight Of my owne ruine crushes those I hate But how to doe it that 's the worke he stands So high in reputation with the people There 's but one way and that 's to make his father The instrument to give the name and envie To him but to my selfe the prize and glory He 's old and jealous apt for suspitions gainst which tyrants ears Are never clos'd The Prince is young Fierce and ambitious I must bring together All these extreames and then remove all Mediums That each may be the others object Enter Mirvan Mir. My Lord Now if your plots be right you are befriended With opportunity The King is melancholy Apted for any ill impressions Make an advantage of the Princes absence Urge some suspected cause of his departure Use all your art hee 's comming Exit Mir. Enter King Ha. Sir have you knowne an action of such glory Lesse swel'd with ostentation or a minde Lesse tainted with felicitie 'T is a rare temper in the Prince King Is it so rare to see a sonne so like His father Have not I perform'd actions As great and with as great a moderation Ha. I Sir but that 's forgotten Actions o'th' last age are like Almanacks o' th' last yeare King 'T is well but if with all his conquests what I get in Empire I lose in fame I thinke my selfe no gainer But am I quite forgotten Ha. Sir you know Age breeds neglect in all and actions Remote in time like objects Remote in place are not beheld at halfe their greatnesse And what is new findes better acceptation Then what is good or great yet some old men Tell Stories of you in their chimney corners King No otherwise Ha. They 're all so full of him some magnifie His courage some his wit but all admire A greatnesse so familiar King Sure Haly Thou hast forgot thy selfe art thou a Courtier Or I a King my eares are unacquainted With such bold truthes especially from thee Ha. Sir when I am call'd to 't I must speake Boldly and plainly King But with what eagernesse what circumstance Unaskt thou tak'st such paines to tell me onely My sonne 's the better man Ha. Sir where Subjects want the priviledge To speake there Kings may have the priviledge To live in ignorance King If 't were a secret that concern'd my life Or Empire then this boldnesse might become thee But such unnecessary rudenesse savours Of some designe And this is such a false and squint-ey'd praise Which seeming to looke upwards on his glories Lookes downe upon my feares I know thou hat'st him And like infected persons faine would'st rub The ulcer of thy malice upon me Ha. Sir I almost beleeve you speake your thoughts But that I want the guilt to make me feare it King What meane these guilty blushes then Ha. Sir if I blush it is because you doe not To upbraid so try'd a servant that so often Have wak'd that you might sleepe and beene expos'd To dangers for your safety King And therefore think'st Thou art so wrapt so woven into all My trusts and counsells that I now must suffer All thy Ambition aymes at Ha. Sir if your love growes weary And thinks you have worne me long enough I 'me willing To be left off but hee 's a foolish Sea-man That when his shippe is sinking will not Unlade his hopes into another bottome King I understand no Allegories Ha. And hee 's as ill a Courtier that when His Master 's old desires not to comply With him that must succeed King But if He will not be comply'd with Ha. Oh Sir There 's one sure way and I have knowne it practiz'd In other States King What 's that Ha. To make The fathers life the price of the sonnes favour To walke upon the graves of our dead Masters To our owne securitie King starts and scratches his head Ha. aside 'T is this must take Does this plainnesse please you Sir King and Haly thou know'st my nature too too apt To these suspitions but I hope the question Was never mov'd to thee Ha. In other Kingdomes Sir King But has my sonne no such designe Ha. Alas You know I hate him and should I tell you He had you 'd say it was but malice King No more of that good Haly I know thou lov'st me But least the care of future safety tempt thee To forfeit present loyaltie or present loyaltie
could make a bloudy feast Of his owne sonne 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 then all those My fathers Devill Come mischiefe I embrace thee fill my soule And thou revenge ascend and beare the Scepter O're all my other passions banish thence All that are coole and tame Know old Tyrant My heart 's to big to breake I know thy feares Exceed my sufferings and my revenge Though but in hope is much a greater pleasure Then thou canst take in punishing Then my anger Sinke to the Center of my heart and there Lye close in ambush till my seeming patience Hath made the cruell Tyrant as secure Though with as little cause as now hee 's jealous Whos 's there Enter two or three I finde my nature would returne To her old course I feele an inclination To some repose welcome thou pleasing slumber A while embrace me in thy leaden armes And charme my carefull thoughts Conduct me to my bed Exit Enter King Haly and Caliph King How doe's the Prince how beares he his restraint Ha. Why Sir as all great spirits Beare great and sudden changes with such impatience As a Numidian Lyon when first caught Endures the toyle that holds him He would thinke of nothing But present death and sought all violent meanes To compasse it But time hath mitigated Those furious heats he now returnes to food And sleepe admits the conversation Of those that are about him King I would I had not So easily beleev'd my feares I was too sudden I would it were undone Cal. If you lament it That which now lookes like Justice will be thought An inconsiderate rashnesse King But there are in nature Such strong returnes that I punish't him I doe not grieve but that he was my sonne Ha. But it concernes you to beare up your passion And make it good for if the people know That you have cause to grieve for what is done They 'le thinke you had no cause at first to doe it King to the Ca. Go visit him from me and teach him patience Since neither all his furie nor my sorrow Can helpe what 's past tell him my severitie To him shall in some measure be requited By my indulgence to his children And if he desire it Let them have accesse 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 Exit King and Ca. Man Ha. 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 handsomely lest it appeare Ha. Appeare 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 knowne Wee 'le say he poysoned himselfe Mir. But the curious will pry further Then bare report and the old Kings suspitions Have piercing eyes Ha. But those nature Will shortly close you see his old disease Growes strong upon him Mir. But if he should recover Ha. But I have cast his nativitie he cannot he must not I' th' meane time I have so besieg'd him So block't up all the passages and plac't So many Centinels and Guards upon him That no intelligence can be convey'd But by my instruments But this businesse will require More heads and hands then ours Goe you to the prison And bring the Keeper privately to me To give him his instructions Ex. severall wayes Enter Prince and Caliph Cal. Sir I am commanded by the King To visite you Prince What to give a period to my life And to his feares 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 voyce Ca. I am the Caliph and am come to tell you your father Is now returned to himselfe Nature ha's got The victory o're passion all his rigour Is turn'd to griefe and pitty Prince Alas good man I pitty him and his infirmities His doubts and feares and accidents of age Which first provok't his crueltie Ca. He bid me tell you His love to yours should amply recompence His cruelty to you And I dare say 't is reall For all his thoughts his pleasures and delights Are fixt on Fatyma when he is sad She comforts him when sicke shee 's his Physitian And were it not for the delight he takes In her I thinke hee 'de dye 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 Shee 's faire beyond comparison and witty Above her age and beares a manly spirit Above her sexe Prince But may not I admire her Is that too great a happinesse pray let her make it Her next suit to be permitted to visit me her selfe Ca. She shall Sir I joy to see your minde So well compos'd I fear'd I should have found A tempest in your soule and came to lay it I 'le to the King I know to him that newes will be Most acceptable Prince Pray doe and tell him I have cast off all my passions and am now A man againe fit for societie And conversation Ca. I will Sir Exit Prince I never knew my selfe till now how on the sudden I 'me growne an excellent dissembler to out-doe One at the first that ha's practiz'd it all his life So now I am my selfe againe what is 't I feele within me thinkes some vaste designe Now takes possession of my heart and swels My labouring thoughts above the common bounds Of humane actions something full of horror My soule hath now decreed my heart does beat As if 't were forging thunderbolts for Jove To strike the Tyrant dead so now I have it I have it 't is a gallant mischiefe Worthy my father or my fathers sonne All his delight 's in Fatyma poore innocent But not more innocent then 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 vertuous I was a stranger to thy bloud but now Sure thou wilt love me for this horrid crime It is so like thy owne In this I 'me sure Although in nothing else I am thy sonne But when 't is done I leave him yet that remedie I take my selfe Revenge but I aswell Will rob him of his anger as his joy And having sent her to the shades I 'le follow her But to returne againe and dwell In his dire thoughts for there 's
minister Suspition or dislike but sure they 're conscious Of some intended mischiefe and are fled To put it into act King This still confirmes me more But let 'em be pursu'd let all the passages Be well secur'd that no intelligence May passe betweene the Prince and them Ha. It shall be done Sir King Is the Caliph prepar'd Ha. Hee 's without Sir And waytes your pleasure King Call him Enter Haly and Caliph King I have a great designe to act in which The greatest part is thine In briefe 't is this I feare my sonnes high spirit and suspect Designes upon my life and Crowne Ca. Sure Sir your feares are causelesse Such thoughts are strangers to his noble soule King No 't is too true I must prevent my danger And make the first attempt there 's no such way To avoyde a blow as to strike first and sure Ca. But Sir I hope my function shall exempt me From bearing any part in such designes King Your function Laugh's do you thinke that Princes Will raise such men so neare themselves for nothing We but advance you to advance our purposes Nay even in all religions Their learnedst and their seeming holiest men but serve To worke their masters ends and varnish o're Their actions with some specious pious colour No scruples doo 't or by our holy Prophet The death my rage intends to him is thine Ca. Sir 't is your part to will mine to obey King Then be wise and suddaine Enter Lords as to Councell Ab. Mor. Ca. My Lords it grieves me to relate the cause Of this Assembly and 't will grieve you all The Prince you know stands high in all those graces Which Nature seconded by fortune gives Wisedome he ha's and to his wisedome courage Temper to that and unto all successe But Ambition the disease of Vertue bred Like surfets from an undigested fulnesse Meets death in that which is the meanes of life Great Mahomet to whom our Soveraigne life And Empire is most deare appearing thus Advis'd me in a vision Tell the King The Prince his sonne attempts his life and Crowne And though no creature lives that more admires His vertues nor affects his person more Then I yet zeale and duty to my Soveraigne Have cancel'd all respects nor must we slight The Prophets revelations Abd. Remember Sir he is your sonne Indeared to you by a double bond As to his King and father And the remembrance of that double bond Doubles my sorrowes 'T is true Nature and duty binde him to obedience But those being placed in a lower sphere His fierce ambition like the highest mover Ha's hurried with a strong impulsive motion Against their proper course But since he has forgot The duty of a sonne I can forget The affections of a father Abd. But Sir in the beginning of diseases None trye the extreamest remedies King But when they 're suddaine The cure must be as quicke when I 'me dead you 'le say My feares have beene too slow Treasons are acted Assoone as thought though they are ne're beleeved Untill they come to act Mor. But consider Sir The greatnesse of the attempt the people love him The lookers on and the enquiring vulgar Will talke themselves to action thus by avoyding A danger but suppos'd you tempt a reall one King Those Kings whom envy or the peoples murmure Deterres from their owne purposes deserve not Nor know not their owne greatnesse The peoples murmure 't is a sulphurous vapour Breath'd from the bowels of the basest earth And it may soyle and blast things neare it selfe But ere it reach the region we are plac't in It vanishes to ayre we are above The sence or danger of such stormes Cap. True Sir they are but stormes while Royaltie Stands like a Rocke and the tumultuous vulgar Like billowes rais'd with winde that 's with opinion May roare and make a noyse and threaten But if they rowle too neare they 're dash't in pieces While they stand firme Abd. Yet Sir Crownes are not plac't so high But vulgar hands may reach 'em King Then 't is when they are plac't on vulgar heads Abd. But Sir Looke backe upon your selfe why should your sonne Anticipate a hope so neare so certaine we may wish and pray For your long life But neither prayers nor power Can alter Fates decree or Natures Law Why should he ravish then that Diadem From your gray temples which the hand of time Must shortly plant on his King My Lords I see you looke upon me as a sunne Now in his West halfe buryed in a cloud Whose rayes the vapours of approaching night Have rendred weake and faint But you shall finde That I can yet shoot beames whose heat can melt The waxen wings of this ambitious boy Nor runnes my bloud so cold nor is my arme So feeble yet but he that dares defend him Shall feele my vengeance and shall usher me Into my grave Ab. Sir we defend him not Onely desire to know his crime 'T is possible It may be some mistake or mis-report Some false suggestion or malicious scandall Or if ambition be his fault 't was yours He had it from you when he had his beeing Nor was 't his fault nor yours for 't is in Princes A crime to want it from a noble spirit Ambition can no more be separated Then heat from fire Or if you feare the vision Will you suspect the noble Prince because This holy man is troubled in his sleepe Because his crazie stomack wants concoction And breedes ill fumes or his melancholy spleene Sends up fantastick vapours to his braine Dreames are but dreames these causelesse feares become not Your noble soule King Who speakes another word Hath spoke his last Great Mahomet we thanke thee Protector of this Empire and this life Thy cares have met my feares this on presumptions Strong and apparent I have long presag'd And though a Prince may punish what he feares Without account to any but the Gods Wise States as often cuts off ills that may be As those that are and prevent purposes Before they come to practise and foule practises Before they grow to Act you cannot but observe How he dislikes the Court his rude departure His honour from the people and the souldiers His seeking to oblige the Turkes his prisoners Their sudden and suspected flight And above all his restlesse towring thoughts A Horne winded without King If the businesse be important Admit him Enter Post with a 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 reades it to himselfe King Here Abdall reade it Abdall reades The Letter Ab. reades Sir we are assured how unnaturally your fathers intentions Are towards you and how cruell towards us we have Made an escape not so much to seeke our owne As to be instruments of your safety We will be In armes upon the borders upon your command Either to seeke danger with you or to
behinde him Enter Morat as in haste Mor. Sir with hazard of my life I 've ventur'd To tell you you are lost betray'd undone Rouze up your courage call up all your counsells And thinke on all those stratagems which nature Keepes ready to encounter sudden dangers Prince But pray my Lord by whom for what offence Mor. Is it a time for story when each minute Begets a thousand dangers the gods protect you Ex. Prince This man was ever honest and my friend And I can see in his amazed looke Something of danger but in act or thought I never did that thing should make me feare it Princesse Nay good Sir let not so secure a confidence Betray you to your ruine Prince Prethee woman Keepe to thy selfe thy feares I cannot know That there is such a thing I stand so strong Inclosed with a double guard of Vertue And Innocence that I can looke on dangers As he that stands upon a Rocke Can looke on stormes and tempests Feare and guilt Are the same thing and when our actions are not Our feares are crimes And he deserves it lesse that guilty beares A punishment then he that guiltlesse feares Ex. Enter Haly and Torturers Ha. This is the place appointed assist me courage This houre ends all my feares but pause a while Suppose I should discover to the Prince The whole conspiracie and so retort it Upon the King it were an handsome plot But full of difficulties and uncertaine And hee 's so fool'd with downe-right honesty Hee 'le ne're beleeve it and now it is too late The guards are set and now I heare him comming Enter Prince stumbles at the entrance Prince 'T is ominous but I will on destruction O'retakes as often those that fly as those that boldly meet it Ha. By your leave Prince your father greets you Prince Unhand me traytors Haly casts a scarfe over his face Ha. That title is your owne and we are sent to let you know it Is not that the voyce of Haly that thunders in my eares Ha. I vertuous Prince I come to make you exercise One vertue more your patience Heat the irons quickly Prince Insolent villaine for what cause Ha. Onely to gaze upon a while untill your eyes are out Prince O villaine shall I not see my father To aske him what 's my crime who my accusers Let me but try if I can wake his pitty From his Lethargicke sleepe Ha. It must not be Sir Prince Shall I not see my wife nor bid farewell To my deare children Ha. Your pray'rs are all in vaine Prince Thou shalt have halfe my Empire Haly let me but See the Tyrant that before my eyes are lost They may dart poys'nous flashes like the Basiliske And looke him dead These eyes that still were open Or to fore-see or to prevent his dangers Must they be closed in eternall night Cannot his thirst of bloud be satisfied With any but his owne And can his tyrannie Finde out no other object but his sonne I seeke not mercy tell him I desire To die at once not to consume an age In lingring deathes Ha. Our eares are charm'd Away with him Prince Can ye behold ye Gods a wronged innocent Or sleepes your Justice like my fathers Mercy Or are you blinde as I must be Finis Act. Tertii Actus Quartus Enter Ab. and Morat Ab. I ever fear'd the Princes too much greatnesse Would make him lesse the greatest heights are neare The greatest precipice Mor. 'T is in worldly accidents As in the world it selfe where things most distant Meet one another Thus the East and West Upon the Globe a Mathematick point Onely divides Thus happinesse and miserie And all extreames are still contiguous Ab. Or if 'twixt happinesse and miserie there be A distance 't is an Aery Vacuum Nothing to moderate or breake the fall Mor. But oh this Saint-like Devill This damned Caliph to make the King beleeve To kill his sonne 's religion Ab. Poore Princes how are they mis-led While they whose sacred office 't is to bring Kings to obey their God and men their King By these mysterious linkes to fixe and tye Them to the foot-stoole of the Deity Even by these men Religion that should be The curbe is made the spurre to tyrannie They with their double key of conscience binde The Subjects soules and leave Kings unconfin'd While their poore Vassals sacrifice their blouds T'Ambition and to Avarice their goods Blinde with Devotion They themselves esteeme Made for themselves and all the world for them While heavens great law given for their guide appeares Just or unjust but as it waytes on theirs Us'd but to give the eccho to their words Power to their wills and edges to their swords To varnish all their errors and secure The ills they act and all the world endure Thus by their arts Kings awe the world while they Religion as their mistresse seeme t' obey Yet as their slave command her while they seeme To rise to Heaven they make Heaven stoope to them Mor. Nor is this all where feign'd devotion bends The highest things to serve the lowest ends For if the many-headed beast hath broke Or shaken from his necke the royall yoake With popular rage religion doth conspire Flowes into that and swells the torrent higher Then powers first pedigree from force derives And calls to minde the old prerogatives Of free-borne man and with a saucy eye Searches the heart and soule of Majestie Then to a strict account and censure brings The actions errors and the ends of Kings Treads on authority and sacred lawes Yet all for God and his pretended cause Acting such things for him which he in them And which themselves in others will condemne And thus ingag'd nor safely can retire Nor safely stand but blindly bold aspire Forcing their hopes even through despaire to climbe To new attempts disdaine the present time Grow from disdaine to threats from threats to armes While they though sonnes of peace still sound th' alarm's Thus whether Kings or people seeke extreames Still conscience and religion are their Theams And whatsoever change the State invades The pulpit either forces or perswades Others may give the fewell or the fire But they the breath that makes the flame inspire Ab. This and much more is true but let not us Adde to our ills and aggravate misfortunes By passionate complaints nor lose our selves Because we have lost him for if the Tyrant Were to a sonne so noble so unnaturall What will he be to us who have appear'd Friends to that sonne Mor. Well thought on and in time Farewell unhappy Prince while we thy friends As strangers to our Countrey and our selves Seeke out our safety and expect with patience Heavens Justice Ab. Let 's rather act it then expect it The Princes injuries at our hands require More then our teares and patience His army is not yet disbanded And onely wants a head thither wee 'le fly And all who love the Prince or hate the Tyrant
A Guard there Enter Mirvan and others King Seize him Ha. Seize them now Though 't is too late to learne yet know 'Gainst you are King again what 't is to let your Subjects Dispose all offices of trust and power The beast obeyes his keeper and looks up Not to his masters but his feeders hand And when you gave me power to dispense And make your favours mine in the same houre You made your selfe my shadow and 't was my curtesie To let you live and reigne so long King Without there Enter two or three and joyne with the others What none but Traytours Has this villaine Breath'd treason into all and with that breath Like a contagious vapour blasted loyaltie Sure hell it selfe has sent forth all her Furies T' inhabit and possesse this place Ha. Sir passions without power Like seas against a rock but lose their furie Mirvan Take these villaines and see 'em strangled 1 Bash. Farewell Sir commend us to your son let him know That since we cannot dye his servants Wee 'll dye his Martyrs King Farewell unhappie friends A long farewell and may you find rewards Great as your innocence or which is more Great as your wrongs 2 Bash. Come thou art troubled Thou dost not feare to dye 1 Bash. No but to lose my death To sell my life so cheap while this proud villaine That takes it must survive 2 Bash. We shall not lose our deaths If Heaven can heare the cries of guiltlesse bloud Which sure it must for I have heard th' are loud ones Vengeance shall overtake thee Ha. Away with 'em King Stay Haly they are innocent yet life when 't is thy gift Is worse than death I disdaine to ask it 1 Bash. And we to take it Ha. Do not ask it Sir For them to whom you owe your ruine they have undone you Had not they told you this you had liv'd secure And happie in your ignorance but this injurie Since 't is not in your nature to forgive it I must not leave it in your power to punish it King Heaven though from thee I have deserv'd this plague Be thou my Judge and witnesse from this villaine 'T is vndeserv'd Had I but felt your vengeance from some hand That first had suffer'd mine it had been justice But have you sent this sad returne of all My love my trust my favours Ha. Sir there 's a great resemblance Between your favours and my injuries Those are too great to be requited these Too great to be forgiven and therefore 'T is but in vaine to mention either King Mirza Mirza How art thou lost by my deceiv'd credulitie I 'le beg thy pardon Ha. Stay Sir not without my leave Go some of you and let the people know The King keeps state and will not come in publike If any great affaires or State addresses Bring 'em to me King How have I taught the villaine To act my part But oh my son my son Shall I not see thee Ha. For once you shall Sir But you must grant me one thing King Traytour dost thou mock my miseries What can I give but this unhappie life Ha. Alas Sir it is but that I ask and 't is my modestie To ask it it being in my power to take it When you shall see him sir to dye for pitie 'T were such a thing 't would so deceive the world And make the people think you were good natur'd 'T will look so well in storie and become The stage so handsomely King I ne're deny'd thee any thing and shall not now Deny thee this though I could stand upright Under the tyranny of age and fortune Yet the sad weight of such ingratitude Will crush me into earth Ha. Lose not your teares but keep Your lamentations for your son or sins For both deserve 'em but you must make haste sir Or hee 'll not stay your comming He looks upon a watch 'T is now about the houre the poyson Must take effect King Poyson'd oh Heaven Ha. Nay sir lose no time in wonder both of us Have much to doe if you will see your son Here 's one shall bring you to him Exit King Some unskilfull Pylot had shipwrackt here But I not only against sure And likely ills have made my selfe secure But so confirm'd and fortifi'd my state To set it safe above the reach of Fate Exit Haly. Enter Prince led servants at the other doore Princesse and Soffy Serv. Sir the Princesse and your son Prince Soffy thou comst to wonder at Thy wretched father why dost thou interrupt Thy happinesse by looking on an object So miserable Princesse My Lord me thinks there is not in your voyce The vigour that was wont nor in your look The wonted cheerfulnesse Are you well my Lord Prince No but I shall be I feele my health a comming Princesse What 's your disease my Lord Prince Nothing but I have ta'ne a Cordiall Sent by the King or Haly in requitall Of all my miseries to make me happie The pillars of this frame grow weak As if the weight of many yeares oppresse 'em My sinewes slacken and an icie stifnesse Benums my bloud Princesse Alas I feare hee 's poysoned Call all the help that Art or Herbs or Minerals Can minister Prince No 't is too late And they that gave me this are too well practiz'd In such an Art to attempt and not performe Prin. Yet trie my Lord revive your thoughts the Empire Expects you your father's dying Prince So when the ship is sinking The winds that wrackt it cease Princesse Will you be the scorne of fortune To come neere a Crowne and only neere it Prince I am not fortunes scorne but she is mine More blind than I Princesse O tyranny of Fate to bring Death in one hand and Empire in the other Only to shew us happinesse and then To snatch us from it Prince They snatch me to it My soule is on her journey do not now Divert or lead her back to lose her selfe I' th' maze and winding labyrinths o'th' world I prethee do not weep thy love is that I part with most unwillingly or otherwise I had not staid till rude necessitie Had forc'd me hence Soffy be not a man too soone And when thou art take heed of too much vertue It was thy fathers and his only crime 'T will make the King suspitious yet ere time By natures course has ripened thee to man 'T will mellow him to dust till then forget I was thy father yet forget it not My great example shall excite thy thoughts To noble actions And you deare Erythaea Give not your passions vent nor let blind furie Precipitate your thoughts nor set 'em working Till time shall lend 'em better meanes and instruments Than lost complaints Where 's prettie Fatyma She must forgive my rash ungentle passion Princesse What do you meane sir Prince I am asham'd to tell you I prethee call her Princesse I will sir I pray try If sleep will ease your
torments and repaire Your wasted spirits Prince Sleep to these emptie lids Is growne a stranger and the day and night As undistinguisht by my sleep as sight O happinesse of povertie that rests Securely on a bed of living turfe VVhile we with waking cares and restlesse thoughts Lye tumbling on our downe courting the blessing Of a short minutes slumber which the Plough-man Shakes from him as a ransom'd slave his fetters Call in some musike I have heard soft aires Can charme our sences and expell our cares Is Erythaea gone Serv. Yes sir Prince 'T is well I would not have her present at my death Enter Musike SOmnus the humble God that dwells In cottages and smoakie cells Hates gilded roofs and beds of downe And though he feares no Princes frowne Flies from the circle of a Crowne Come I say thou powerfull God And thy Leaden charming Rod Dipt in the Lethaean Lake O're his wakefall temples shake Lest he should sleep and never wake Nature alas why art thou so Obliged to thy greatest foe Sleep that is thy best repast Yet of death it beares a taste And both are the same thing at last Serv. So now he sleeps let 's leave him To his repose Enter King King The horrour of this place presents The horrour of my crimes I faine would ask What I am loth to heare but I am well prepar'd They that are past all hope of good are past All feare of ill and yet if he be dead Speak softly or uncertainly Phy. Sir he sleeps King O that 's too plaine I know thou mean'st his last His long his endlesse sleep Phy. No Sir he lives but yet I feare the sleep you speak of will be his next For nature like a weak and wearie traveller Tir'd with a tedious and a rugged way Not by desire provokt but even betray'd By wearinesse and want of spirits Gives up her selfe to this unwilling slumber King Thou hast it Haly 't is indeed a sad And sober truth though the first And only truth thou ever told'st me And 't is a fatall signe when Kings heare truth Especially when flatterers dare speake it Prince I thought I heard my father does he think the poyson Too slow and comes to see the operation Prince awakes Or does he think his engine dull or honest Lesse apt to execute than he to bid him He needs not 't is enough it will succeed To his expectation King 'T is indeed thy father Thy wretched father but so far from acting New cruelties that if those already past Acknowledg'd and repented of can yet Receive a pardon by those mutuall bonds Nature has seal'd between us which though I Have cancell'd thou hast still preserv'd inviolate I beg thy pardon Prince Death in it selfe appeares Lovely and sweet not only to be pardoned But wisht for had it come from any other hand But from a father a father A name so full of life of love of pitie Death from a fathers hand from whom I first Receiv'd a being 't is a preposterous gift An act at which inverted Nature starts And blushes to behold her selfe so cruell Kin. Take thou that comfort with thee and be not deafe to truth By all that 's holy by the dying accents Of thine and my last breath I never meant I never wisht it sorrow has so over-fraught This sinking bark I shall not live to shew How I abhor or how I would repent My first rash crime but he that now Has poyson'd thee first poyson'd me with jealousie A foolish causelesse jealousie Prince Since you beleeve my innocence I cannot but beleeve your sorrow But does the villaine live A just revenge Would more become the sorrowes of a King Than womanish complaints King O Mirza Mirza I have no more the power to doe it Than thou to see it done My Empire Mirza My Empire 's lost Thy vertue was the rock On which it firmly stood that being undermin'd It sunk with its owne weight the villaine whom my breath created Now braves it in my Throne Prince O for an houre of life but 't will not be Revenge and justice we must leave to heaven I would say more but death has taken in the out-works And now assailes the fort I feele I feele him Gnawing my heart-strings farewell and yet I would Dies King O stay stay but a while and take me with thee Come Death let me embrace thee thou that wert The worst of all my feares art now the best Of all my hopes But Fate why hast thou added This curse to all the rest the love of life We love it and yet hate it death we loath And still desire flye to it and yet feare it Enter Princesse and Soffy Princesse Hee 's gone hee 's gone for ever O that the poyson had mistaken his And met this hated life but cruell Fate Envied so great a happinesse Fate that still Flies from the wretched and pursues the blest Yee Heavens But why should I complaine to them That heare me not or bow to those that hate me Why should your curses so out-weigh your blessings They come but single and long expectation Takes from their value but these fall upon us Double and sudden Sees the King Yet more of horrour then farewell my teares And my just anger be no more confin'd To vaine complaints or selfe-devouring silence But break break forth upon him like a deluge And the great spirit of my injur'd Lord Possesse me and inspire me with a rage Great as thy wrongs and let me call together All my soules powers to throw a curse upon him Black as his crimes King O spare your anger 't is lost For he whom thou accused has already Condemn'd himselfe and is as miserable As thou canst think or wish him spit upon me Cast all reproaches on me womans wit Or malice can invent I 'le thank thee for them What e're can give me a more lively sence Of my owne crimes that so I may repent 'em Princesse O cruell Tyrant couldst thou be so barbarous To a son as noble as thy selfe art vile That knew no other crime but too much vertue Nor could deserve so great a punishment For any fault but that he was thy son Now not content to exceed all other Tyrants Exceed'st thy selfe first robbing him of sight Then seeming by a fain'd and forc'd repentance To expiate that crime didst win him to A false securitie and now by poyson Hast robb'd him of his life King Were but my soule as pure From other guilts as that Heaven did not hold One more immaculate Yet what I have done He dying did forgive me and hadst thou been present Thou wouldst have done the same for thou art happie Compar'd to me I am not only miserable But wicked too thy miseries may find Pitie and help from others but mine make me The scorne and the reproach of all the world Thou like unhappie Merchants whose adventures Are dasht on rocks or swallowed up in stormes Ow'st all thy losses to
the Fates but I Like wastfull Prodigals have cast away My happinesse and with it all mens pitie Thou seest how weak and wretched guilt can make Even Kings themselves when a weak womans anger Can master mine Princesse And your sorrow As much o o'recomes my anger and turns into melting pitie King Pitie not me nor yet deplore your husband But seek the safetie of your son his innocence Will be too weak a guard when nor my greatnesse Nor yet his fathers vertues could protect us Go on my boy the just revenge of all To Soffy Our wrongs I recommend to thee and Heaven I feele my weaknesse growing strong upon me Exeunt Death thou art he that wilt not flatter Princes That stoops not to authoritie nor gives A specious name to tyrannie but shewes Our actions in their owne deformed likenesse Now all those cruelties which I have acted To make me great or glorious or secure Look like the hated crimes of other men Enter Physician King O save save me who are those that stand And seeme to threaten me Phy. There 's no body 't is nothing But some fearfull dreame King Yes that 's my brothers ghost whose birth-right stood 'Twixt me and Empire like a spredding Cedar That growes to hinder some delightfull prospect Him I cut downe Next my old fathers ghost whom I impatient To have my hopes delay'd hastned by violence before his fatall day Then my enraged son who seemes to beckon And hale me to him I come I come yee Ghosts The greatest of you all but sure one hell 's Too little to containe me and too narrow For all my crimes Dies Enter Mirvan and Haly at severall doores Ha. Goe muster all the Citie-Bands pretend it To prevent sudden tumults But indeed to settle the succession Mir. My Lord you are too sudden you 'll take 'em unprepar'd Alas you know their consciences are tender Scandall and scruple must be first remov'd They must be pray'd and preach'd into a tumult But for the succession Let us agree on that there 's Calamah The eldest son by the Arabian Lady A gallant youth Ha. I too gallant his proud spirit will disdaine To owe his greatnesse to anothers gift Such gifts as Crownes transcending all requitall Turne injuries No Mirvan he must be dull and stupid lest he know Wherefore we made him King Mir. But he must be good natur'd tractable And one that will be govern'd Ha. And have so much wit to know whom hee 's beholding to Mir. But why my Lord should you look further than your selfe Ha. I have had some such thoughts but I consider The Persian State will not endure a King So meanly borne no I 'le rather be the same I am In place the second but the first in power Solyman the son of the Georgian Lady Shall be the man what noyse is that Enter Messenger Mess. My Lord the Princes late victorious Army Is marching towards the palace breathing nothing But furie and revenge to them are joyn'd All whom desire of change or discontent Excites to new attempts their Leaders Abdall and Morat Ha. Abdall and Morat Mirvan we are lost fallen from the top Of all our hopes and cast away like Saylers Who scaping seas and rocks and tempests perish I' th' verie port so are we lost i' th' sight And reach of all our wishes Mir. How has our intelligence fail'd us so strangely Ha. No no I knew they were in mutiny But they could ne're have hurt us Had they not come at this instant period This point of time had he liv'd two dayes longer A pardon to the Captaines and a largesse Among the Souldiers had appeas'd their furie Had he di'd two dayes sooner the succession Had as we pleas'd been setled and secur'd By Soffy's death Gods that the world should turne On minutes and on moments Mir. My Lord lose not your selfe In passion but take counsell from necessitie I 'le to 'em and will let them know The Prince is dead and that they come too late To give him libertie for love to him Has bred their discontents I 'le tell them boldly That they have lost their hopes Ha. And tell them too As they have lost their hopes o' th' one they have lost Their feares o' th' other tell their Leaders we desire Their counsell in the next succession Which if it meet disturbance Then we shall crave assistance from their power Which Fate could not have sent in a more happie hower Exit Mirvan Enter Lords Caliph Cal. My Lord Yee heare the newes the Princes Army is at the gate Ha. I I heare it and feele it here Aside But the succession that 's the point That first requires your counsell Cal. Who should succeed but Soffy Ha. What in such times as these when such an Army Lies at our gates to choose a child our King You my Lord Caliph are better read in storie And can discourse the fatall consequences When children raigne Cal. My Lords if you 'll be guided By reason and example Enter Abdall and Morat Ha. My Lords you come most opportunely we were entring Into dispute about the next succession Ab. Who dares dispute it we have a powerfull argument Of fortie thousand strong that shall confute him Cal. A powerfull argument indeed Ab. I such a one as will puzzle all your Logick And distinctions to answer it And since we came too late for the performance Of our intended service to the Prince The wronged Prince we cannot more expresse Our loyaltie to him than in the right Of his most hopefull son Ha. But is he not too young Mor. Sure you think us so too but he and we Are old enough to look through your disguise And under that to see his fathers enemies A Guard there Enter Guard Mor. Seize him and you that could shew reason or example Ha. Seize me for what Ab. Canst thou remember such a name as Mirza And ask for what Ha. That name I must remember and with horrour But few have died for doing What they had di'd for if they had not done It was the Kings command and I was onely Th' unhappie minister Ab. I such a minister as wind to fire That adds an accidentall fiercenesse to Its naturall furie Mor. If 't were the Kings command 't was first thy malice Commanded that command and then obey'd it Ha. Nay if you have resolv'd it truth and reason Are weak and idle arguments But let me pitie the unhappie instruments Of Princes wils whose anger is our fate And yet their love's more fatall than their hate Ab. And how well that love hath been requited Mirvan your Confident By torture has confest Mor. The storie of the King and of the Bashawes Ha. Mirvan poore-spirited wretch thou hast deceiv'd me Nay then farewell my hopes and next my feares Enter Soffy So. What horrid noyse was that of drums and Trumpets that struck my eare What meane these bonds could not my Grandsires jealousie Be satisfied upon his son but now