Faith is the brightest Jewel of a Crown Man Speak my Souls great Ambassador my Tongue Pronounce thy Message loud a King Commands O speak what thou desirest most to speak Pard'n Sir my too rude Carriage Tam. Say Noble Youth Man Low as the Earth two Monarchs I Implore Rather two Gods in saving pity great As Heav'n may bless your Throne with Victory To Tam. As Heav'n may raise you higher by your Fall To Baj. I beg this Princess from your Royal hands Ast. With all the force a Virgins Tears can press On any Soul I here implore my Death Ten thousand Deaths e're yield my Innocence To be polluted by his loath'd Embraces Baj. Curse him Asteria curse the fatal Source Of thine of mine of the Worlds wretched State Upon a Fathers blessing curse the Race Of Perjur'd Tamerlane there 's poyson in it And rank Infection and consuming Plagues Man Is she not Fair my Lord Is she not Innocent as Babes new Born Tam. Mean Soul degenerate Boy I charge thee cease Canst thou behold this haughty slave in Chains Outdare our Pow'r and scorn our offer'd favours Nay Curse thee to thy Face and hold thee worthless The gift thou ask'st deny thee with Contempt And thou yet stoop to him kneel pray to him Wipe off rash boy thy growing Glories stain Or quit the Name of Son Man How all things to my ruin do concur Father and Daughter Emperor all are joyn'd To make me wretched O the killing Flames Of a despairing passion oh my heart Baj. My Miseries have giv'n me leave to smile To see thee Traytor find an Hell on Earth Man Approach my Fair. Ast. Oh I am ruin'd stain'd With hands scarce cool from my dear Brothers blood He catches at the Sister for reward And I m'e become a partner in the Murder Baj. Oh the bold Ravisher that he shou'd dare To touch her purge then Villain with thy blood Her fully'd beauties Dye Snatching a Sword from the Guards Tam. Disarm the Traytor Presumptuous Fool this Act has forfeited The Life we gave Baj. Have I driv'n Troops before me And am I thus held in by a crowd of Slaves Vile fearful Mice to pluck the bristled Main Of a bound Lyon rise my Passion rise Swell every Vein up to an Artery Return the famous Lightning of my Eyes Work Oh my Heart my Soul in my revenge For I am kill'd choak'd with disdain and fury Tam. He Raves and we lose time to hear him hast Take force him from my sight Baj. Do not think me King One that has nothing but a Life to lose Death 't is the common Scourge of coward minds A Goblin hatch'd to fright base vulgar Spirits Life I contemn nor wou'd I stoop so low Beneath my Majesty to take it up Though with my Empire it might be redeem'd Since he must grant it whom I scorn and hate A Grace from Tamerlane wou'd load with shame My inward memory far more then all My risled Crowns or the base name of Slave Now Tyrant to thy last destruction hear What Alha moving in my breast Commands Me speak thy Glory Tartar is short liv'd There are a Royal Race of Ottemans See thy Guards tremble at their very Name And so must thou I see thy Glory sink And Heav'n in Arms against thy Perjur'd Soul Tam. A way to Death to speedy Torture with him His boasted courage this last Act shall frye Baj. Yes I will make a Tryal of my Heart I 'le bear my wrongs with such a noble Courage So far Transcending mean Tartarian spirits That thou shalt burst with envy to my Fate Is led off Man Thus doth the Naked Beggar gazing stand On great Mens wealth and starves O cursed spight That I must perish all my Joyes in sight Exit A Wood. Arsanes Axalla Ars. Urge me no more my Lord my fate is seal'd And Heav'ns fixt will stands uncontroul'd by chance Now to return by Heav'n I never will Were as to seek a second Banishment Or Death the lesser evil for returning Ax. Yet Sir the King Ars. Is most unjust and cruel Lead by the voice of every fawning Traytor And gives all power to him that Flatters most My Brother Yes by all that 's good it was That fatal Brother that ambitious Boy With the deep plotting Odmar wrought my ruine And built their greatness on my ill-tim'd Vertue VVhile I Ax. VVhile you here in inglorious sorrow Quit your just Title to your Fathers Throne Ars. A Throne Axalla can it yet be news My Father owns no Son but Mandricard He shares his Crowns of Lawrel and of Gold And all the shining Scepters of each Clime VVhere if a friend but chance to name Arsanes Or fetch an inward sigh for his misfortunes A pointed frown marks the kind Spirit dead And choaks with mournful groans his pious wishes Oh my Nerina Ax. That fever still my Lord Ars. It like the Liver of the Earth-born Monster O'respread nine Furlongs of the burning Lake Feeds on the fiery Diet of fond hope To be renew'd a prey to black despair Ax. Yet Sir she may be found Ars. She may O trifler may May be is quite impossible to Love She must ye Gods appoint the happy time Like that when softest Hours in Greece I drew Then when the Hospitable Emperor Saluted us as Princes treated us At no less rate though both by Law enslav'd An exile I and she a Pyrates prey Long in that state we liv'd in Bliss and Love I Adanaxus she Nerina call'd But Oh my Friend that Golden Age is past Ax. Ah my dear Lord Ars. Speak Friend Ax. If any charm Of specious truth your passion can o're sway And raise belief in your distracted Breast The sight of her Ars. Do not Delude me thus Ax. No false Delusion or diverting Fable Can here reside take take the naked truth Axalla in her rifled Tent beheld Gaz'd on and knew the fair Nerina's charms Ars. But did you see her like Nerina bright As the first Sun when on the Eastern Shore He Rises fresh and Decks the Infant Day Did you behold among the Beauteous Crowd One by all envy'd and by all admir'd A Triple Goddess Fair Majestick Wise Ax. Shee 's all my Lord that ev'n your Love can speak her And though all bash'd and shrouded o're with Tears Yet cou'd not ev'n those thickning Clouds of sorrow Obscure the shining lustre of her Eyes Ars. Methinks my Friend I see those Pearly drops When taking on my Breast her last farewell She cast her Ivory Arms about my Neck And cry'd my Love Oh shou'd we meet again Nor spoke she this with the least sign of Bliss For with a Smile she promis'd it a truth Ax. As great and faithful as the Sybills Voice And can you then my Lord leave all those Joyes For want of seeking them Think think Arsanes When this hot Fever has dry'd up to Ashes Your slaming Heart and Parcht your vital Spirits Then you will cry but oh 't will be too late
What mass of Golden Treasure have I lost Then curse your self for your unkind distrust Your little Faith to your Axalla's Counsels That ruin'd the unfortunate Arsanes But let 's behold the faithful Danches comes Enter Danches From your Great Fathers Court his joyful look Denotes some glad Discovery The News Zan. Great Prince what still may please and make you happy I went to Samarcanda but I pass'd Me thought through Streets block'd up with moving Castles So thick so numberlesâ— the People stood While they with Voices undistinguish'd fill'd The Air that Eccho'd nothing but the Stranger The Stranger is the business of the Court The Sweet Discourse of every Ladies Mouth Is what the Stranger did to you they owe Their Trophies and their Fame Ars. And is the Court so monstrously infectious That scarce an hour gone thou 'st learnt to flatter Speak speak thy Errand what of the fair Nerina Zan. Great Sir the Lady which your Friend discover'd Is Daughter to th' impetuous Bajaset The tender sharer of her Fathers Fate Ars. Ha! Withers not my Hand start not my Eyes From their curs'd Orbs Am I not all an Ague So loud a Clap Of sudden Thunder and yet live Ye Gods Have I to ruine her my Sword employ'd My greatest Strength her Country to destroy Was it her Father too whose Fate I sought Then on my self my more than hellish act I thus Revenge Draws his Dagger which Axalla wrests from him Ax. Dear Sir Ars. 'T was friendly done For I confess a death so quiet and So short had been a Balm to ease my Heart Rather than punishment to expiate My great offence to die perhaps the News Might satisfie some Relicks of the War That their great Enemy is dead What then What had I done for Bajaset what for His ruin'd House his flaming Pallace what In lieu of all his pillag'd Scepters Crowns What for Nerina's wrongs whose every Tear Deserves a Life No no Axalla that Which can but once be done let it be long In doing Zan. Dear my Lord divert those thoughts And go where Piety and Honour call The Royal Slave not brooking his disgrace And yielding not himself to Tamerlane Is most unfaithfully condemn'd to Die Ars. To Die Shall then Nerina's Father Die Basely and poorly be a prey to Fate And leave his weeping Daughter all alone ' Midst a rude Multitude of Savage Men Ax. Arsanes cannot think a thought like that Ars. No my Axalla hast we from this place With all the swiftness of a Love in fear That he shall come too late and lose the Prize The Beauteous Prize for which all that have Souls Must needs be Rivals Guide me O my Stars Shorten my Journey to my Paradise By all my hopes Nerina's Father lives Then snatching to my self the Glorious Prize I 'le reap the Fruit of all my Victories Exeunt ACT II. Scene I. Bajaset is discover'd on a Scaffold an Executioner with an Axe and others with Hallbirds Swords c. Enter Tamerlane Mandricard Odmar Abdalla The Executioner being about to strike Enter in hast Arsanes and Axalla Ars. HOld stay thy bloody hand I charge thee strike not Tam. What bold Invader dares thus countermand me Speak say what art Ars. Lay down O mighty Prince A little of thy Thunder and I 'le speak O thou to whose high care Heav'n doth intrust The Rule of Nations Monarch of the Earth So may you Laurels bear from either Pole As you to them shall peaceful Olives joyn And in your Conquests God-like Mercy shew Tam. The Accent of that Voice I sure have known Nor am I unacquainted with that Face All day I could with patience hear thy Story Ars. Not to recount the Changes of my Life Which but for one one only happy Fate Does not deserve a Name yet Sir I 'le tell you There 's Glory in that Fate and to have done You Loyal Service is a Noble Bliss Tam. By all my Lawrels the Triumphant Stranger O Prince for I consider thee no less What shall I what Reward can I repay To thy great Vertue Ars. Not a Thirst of Wealth Or Sacred Famine of Reward or yet A vain Ambition to commend my Deeds Made me presume to meet your Royal Eyes But since Great Sir you do esteem my Acts Worthy a price O hear the Prayers I make By Alha by the Soul of Mahomet By the ne'r-cancell'd Bond of your strict Vow In Heav'ns bright Eye I do conjure thee spare The Royal Captives Life Tam. Thou cou'd'st not ask A thing but this we cou'd not grant Ars. O Heav'n If with a Princes Life you needs must Seal The Glory of your Conquest rip these Veins And draw what Blood is left in expiation For his dear Life Oh hold me not in doubt Tam. Did I but think I did the Slave a favour Spight of my Vow by Heav'n he shou'd not live But as 't is that he fears far worse than Death I by one Act will wisely satisfie Aside This Strangers hopes and glut my own Revenge Yes he shall live remove the Fatal Pomp And lead him to our Palace but know Slave 'T is to this generous Prince thou owst thy Life Baj. For me his Pray'rs ye Stars shed ruine on him Beg in my Cause Precacious Fool be silent To Ars. Ha. Villain why's my Fate so long delay'd To the Exec. Is the Axe not sharp enough or am I held Here to be gaz'd at for a Mark a Shew A Property to please the Idle Vulgar Strike Villain or I 'le spurn thee into Ashes Ha ha ha ha O I could burst with laughter To see these Apes these mistaken Fools Who think they have been generous and kind While they are dully cruel Tyrant blush And know wer 't thou my Slave thus would I glut My self with vengeance on thee so farewell And some Plague seize thee e're we meet again Is led off Tam. Thus to your Prayers we sacrifice our Justice And to your mighty Merits our Revenge To Arsan Ars. Thus at your Royal Feet I cast my self And may those Pow'rs that rais'd and guard your Throne Reward you for this greatest highest favour For which I vow you everlasting Service Man Hail O great Soul of War matchless in Might Odm. Fair Guardian Angel of the Scythian Throne Abd. Desire of Nations Bulwark of this State Ars. Your Vassal Princes knows not to bear These loads of Praise unable to repay Your noble kindness ev'n in Thanks Man So may You always knit fresh Lawrels to your Brow As we to you our Turkish Conquests owe. Tam. 'T is true I as a Warrior must adore Thee in thy Vertues thy Success admire Thy Actions love reward thy Loyalty But something nearer calls thee to my Breast Stamps thy dear Image on my Soul and tells me There is a mightier reason for my love Than any I have yet alledged O Nature My Eyes my Heart both challenge thee my Son Ars. Father if I may dare to use that Name Pulling off his
disguise Behold your wretched Son your Darling once Now less than Stranger to you banish'd spoil'd Of all my Honours Father Country Name By their vile Arts who with false Counsels arm'd Against my Innocence your mildest Nature Here could I wish I were for ever fix'd Here breath my last and leave my flying Soul Tam. Ye Powrs my Son the wrong'd Arsanes here Heav'n knows with what regret I rob my Throne of So great a Pillar my Kingdom of so good A Prince Heaven knows how I have mourn'd thy absence And curs'd my fond belief to busy Flatterers Credit me Prince I always thought thee injur'd Odm. O damn'd deceitful spightful Queen of Chance Man Hell that I as a Basilisk cou'd dart Poison from my Eyes and blot his growing Greatness Aside Tam. O Mandricard my other Blessing share This mass of Joy that fills my heaving Breast Man And can the Stranger prove so near a Friend A Brother Oh that Name Now by my Arms If ever hate were grounded in my Breast You Valiant Deeds have dispossess'd it all Such Vertue ne'r can find an Enemy Imbraces coolly Now all the subtilest Plagues of Hell prevent thee Aside Ars. O happy day the whitest of my Life Tam. All who are present at this Solemn Meeting Behold your Prince your wish'd for Prince Arsanes In whose just Cause you have so often mutinid And ev'n assail'd our Throne for his revenge Receive take share with me his Royal Heart And with loud shouts of Joy accompany Us to our Palace Thus from their sad Urn Thy Phoenix Vertues to new Glories burn Exeunt Odmar manet solus Odm. Furies and Death and all the Family Of dark Infernal Pow'rs can you see So tamely see me your Chief Instrument Sworn to your Counsels so lost so successless For this Have I trod in all Paths that Hell-ward led Has Envy lost her Snakes and Fraud forgot Her Art Is Malice satisfi'd so soon To glare and snarl and not destroy for this Have Guilty Thoughts disturb'd my Nights and Blood Started my Soul in Fancies broke my Sleeps Bled the Kings Son committed to my charge An Infant to no-purpose is it nothing That my Themyre supplies his Place and Name But doth Arsanes still prevent us Nay He 's grown much higher by his fall our Plots To tread him down to Earth have mounted him Above the Clouds This must not on again Brain whet thy sweet Invention while he climbs That he may fall and set the World in Flames Exit Asteria's Apartment Asteria Zayda Ast. Give give my Passion vent or I shall burst Yes yes ye Pow'rs 't was he 't was Adanaxus That ruin'd me my Father Country all 'T is the same charming Tongue moves Tamerlane That caught Nerina's Heart just so he wept And knelt and pray'd for Mercy at my Feet For his own Life as for my Father's now T is the same Rival of Andronicus The same Triumpher o're the Graecian Slaves Turkey destroy'd I and this faithless Man Crown'd with the Pleasures of a Smiling Field While we each others Story did relate So tenderly and with so much concern Promiscuously we gave our Hearts away Born on the Wings of interchang'd Discourse Then first we sigh'd and smil'd and smil'd and sigh'd And look'd and wonder'd and discours'd again While the young God stood laughing on the Plain And wonder'd at our Sympathy of Souls Wou'd you believe it This same Under-Lover This very Adanaxus from the World From all Mankind was chose to work my ruine Zay Has he not sav'd your Captive Fathers Life Ast. Did he not make him so O trifling Comfort How now what Air what Heav'n is this what Sky What Country whither am I led alass What am I now become Still still my Eyes Behold those various Images of Death And Fatal Ruine they in Prutia saw All pale and shiv'ring there my Mother lies And there my Royal Brother bleeding groans All this and more this dear this trayt'rous Man This smiling false Deceiver has perform'd To them Arsanes Axalla Ax. See there my Lord and think on what your Friend Advis'd you to Ars. I see my Heav'n near Am ravish'd with the light wish and admire Court and hope yet dare not enter in With such a clog of guilt incumber'd round I tremble at the Presence of my Judge Ax. If Conquest were a Crime it was the Gods Not yours nor can she blame your hidden fate How full of Fears is Love Ast. Bless me my Stars Oh I 'm betray'd look Zayda see that Man Oh let us shun that swearing perjur'd Man And never let me trust my Heart again Ars. Madam Ast. What means this rude Assault Ars. Thus low I fall To Beauties and to Mercies Shrine while from Their Oracle I learn my Life or Death Present Despair or Happiness Ast. Expound These Riddles Heav'n Ars. Ha! am I grown so strange So alter'd neither known nor understood Or rather are you so forgetful grown If so let these recall your Memory A Bracelet The Tender Labour of your busie Love This witness of your Vows Ast. What shall I say or do Ungrateful Man but let me not recall My Grief with Words and stab my bleeding Wounds The Gods revenge my Injuries Is going out Ars. Oh hear Your Guilty Penitent his Crime confess Ast. Some weak Evasion or deluding Fable Oh what excuse or wile can you invent In recompence of all my Sufferings Ars. Her every word a bleeding Heart-string cuts Her every Tear a Vein your Sufferings Oh cast on me the burden of 'em all For I can bear for my Nerina's quiet The Pains of Hell with Heav'nly delight Ast. Ill shall I trust so known an Enemy Ars. An Enemy what Horrors seize my Soul Oh clear clear me of that wretched Name Who could have thought the Ridling Fates and meant I shou'd have sin'd in bringing help to him Who gave me birth Ast. 'T is plain you have betray'd For empty Duty have betray'd your Love What Name could make Nerina to forget Her Adanaxus thus ah cruel Man Ars. Forget you had I drunk dull Lethe dry Its Waters had on me wrought small effect Nerina always was is present here My Mind my Soul is nothing but Nerina This very impious Act was for Nerina When losing her I sought in dreadful Battle My long wish'd End Ast. Excuses are but vain For by your Actions I your kindness weigh Captivity and shameful Bands are all The mighty Gifts of your protested Vows Have I not heard you say yes I have heard To me the Tribute of the World was due How fit I was to be a Queen how well A Diadem wou'd with my Beauty Suit Ars. Oh my Nerina if I then must stand Guilty of all the malice of the Stars And what great Heav'n decreed if it be nothing That by my Pray'rs your Royal Father lives Yet sure I've lov'd and for your love despis'd All dangers oppos'd Princes in your Cause Witness the Fury of Andronicus Nerina may remember too some
Prey And make him tender as the panting Lamb. Ast. But yet the joyful Grant he had not seal'd When once again I did embrace his Knees And call'd to his remembrance how he liv'd By your kind intercession though he scorns The Life you gave yet frankly he confess'd It was a Noble pity in a Mind So great as yours Ars. Oh the Angelick Sound Cou'd yet the moving Argument be vain Ast. It was my Lord till turning to a Theme Of more concern I told him I lov'd How I was lov'd with what a generous Flame You answered my Affections how by you I was protected from the violence Of rash Andronicus and then he smil'd And said 't was nobly done and as a Lover Ars. And yet cou'd he deny Oh what remain'd What cou'd you farther urge Ast. Your Noble Acts Your constant Vertue and unviolate Faith How weighing not your wrongs then thick upon you Banish'd by your great Fathers jealous rage Your Loyal Vertue still unshook unconquer'd Brought Kingdoms to his Throne and Lawrels to his Head This he was strangely taken with and lost Much of his fury wondred and grew kind And swore he cou'd not be a Foe to Vertue Of so sublime a Nature then he rose And gave a soft Command and charg'd me love you Not as a Prince not as the Tyrants Son But something more than Man and nearer to the Gods Ars. Thus kneel kind Angels at the Feet of Heav'n When ready to destroy the impious World They with soft Pray'rs recall the bolted Thunder And ev'n o're-take the swiftest Lightnings Course Blest that I am in thy most charming sweet Prevailing Oratory thus cou'd we move But Tamerlanes far more obdurate Heart Then were we blest Ast. Then were we blest indeed Enter Zayda confus'dly and in hast Zay O dismal Chance O fatal Destiny Ast. What means this dreadful Voice not Croaking Ravens With Midnight-shreiks e're thus disturb'd my Soul Zay Your Father Ast. Say what can his ill-tim'd Fate Malicious Chance and inauspicious Stars Do to advance his full-blown Spring of Sorrow Zay Unheard-of Cruelty the Faithless Tyrant Incens'd by your great Fathers haughty Rage Who though in Chains with his great Spirit frights The Jealous King and with a Princely scorn Vexes his raging Soul which to Revenge Fierce Tamerlane O cruel Artifice Lock'd in an Iron Cage his Rival Slave While he in barbarous Triumph mounted on His Shoulders to his Chariot Ars. Savage Prince Ast. O Cruelty Oh more than Hellish Torment Zay Impatient of his wrongs the Royal Captive As he through Samarcanda's Streets was led A publick Trophy in his moving Prison Against the massy Bars with rage he dash'd His Royal Head while from the fatal Wound Gush'd out that Blood which long the greatest Life The World cou'd ever proudly boast preserv'd Who in a Storm of Ast. O I faint I faint To hear you out will send my Soul away E're I can to his Fate my Duty pay Farewell my Lord. Ars. O my dearest Life Let me let me support thy fainting Beauties Ast. O Adanaxus now we 'r lost again Ars. Unhappy Fate thus ever in our Joys A sudden Thunderbolt divides us Exeunt severally Enter Mandricard alone with a Letter Man What shall I do shall I not go not now When thus the true Idea of that Face Calls my glad Soul which we adore in Angels Great Mandricard I 'le sing thee in my Lap Reading I come I come Asteria Mercury Lend me thy winged Buskins that in thought I may in swiftness penetrate the Air. O welcome welcome be thou to my Soul I kiss thee for her sake whose Ivory Hands Have deep engrav'd these Golden Characters To him Ispatia unseen Isp. So now Ispatia thou hast view'd his Heart And seen it flaming with another Dart Then to compleat the Sum of all my Pains Death is the only Torment that remains Exit Man To thee sweet Saint I come I fly to thee But what ill Fates have intercepted me Enter Arsanes Arsanes here wou'd Hell it were his Ghost Now by my Arms a far more welcome sight Yet now for my defence a well-forg'd Lie With a false shew of Penitential Kindness Will be most exquisite Coming near and bowing to Arsanes Ars. What wou'd this Woman Man Ha! Ars. Art thou Offended with the Name then change the Art For all I yet can see in thee is Woman Forc'd Tears feign'd Flatteries and deep Dissembling These seldom sure possess a Manly Breast Man If ought I 've done can be by what I 'le do Ars. There 's death in thy deceitful Eyes and Tongue Man Deceit and Death what mean those Mystick words Which strike like double Daggers to my Heart Ars. Art thou not false Nan. Destructive Fame thy worst Blow all thy lying Trumpets through the World And to all Ears pronounce me false yet not The blasting Breath of all thy hundred Mouths Can on my injur'd Vertue cast a blot Ars. The Careful Pilot riding on the Main May tack about and shun the highest Rocks But those he fears which skulk beneath the Waves The unseen Instruments of grinning Death You work my ruine not with Hand but Heart The lurking Treasure of black Designs Man Had I by any other Man been drawn In such a Character so much unlike So inconsistent with a Princely Mind That Man had with his final ruine brought Swift vengeance on himself for what he said By Heav'n had he but thought it he had dy'd With you quite otherwise I beg my peace Nature commands you seal my happiness Ars. Ha! are the Wounds I bear so light Man What Wounds This Tongue this Heart and Hand are innocent Ars. Ask'st thou what Wounds So did fell Atreus ask His fainting brother drunk with humane Blood And heavy with the weight of his own Bowels Set to him as a Banquet what he ail'd I tell thee Brother 't was wretched thing An exil'd Slave and Heir to Tamerlane Man Is that not blotted out I 'le hear no more Since you my Friendship and my love contemn I scorn all Treaties of a further Peace Come on Revenge like Wolves and spotted Tygers We 'l live together in perpetual strife And when we meet it must be always War Of which be this the Sacred binding Gage Throw him the Letter and Exit Ars. 'T was boldly spoke and much unlike himself He ne'r profess'd himself my Foe till now To him Axalla Ax. Saw you not Mandricard my Lord Ars. I did Behold this witness of his treacherous hate Opening the Letter Dazle my Eyes or is it from Asteria What sudden madness seizes my lost Senses And makes me think what is impossible 'T is all delusion Ha from my Nerina Directed too to Mandricard Oh Heav'n At her Apartment Ax. Oh the Monster Woman Ars. 'T is sure some feign'd device Ax. Her own false Hand Her Hand that writes her Hearts unconstant Love Ars. How oft have I such tender Characters Of the same size and make lock'd in my Breast And kiss'd