And rely wholly on the King for mercy Arm. And are you reall Org. As the Powers we serve Arm. I thank you from my Soul my dearest Lord You have by this kind grant made me your vassall Org. Armena A long life to the fair Queen May she enjoy her former happiness And be as bless'd as thou wilt presently When I 've reveal'd our story to the King For sure 't will over-joy thee Orgillus drinks Arm. With more pleasure I wish her life then Heirs their Fathers Deaths Armena drinks out of the Poyson'd Bowle But O make hast lest his wild Jealousy Shou'd hurry him to do the fatall deed Which ne're can be recall'd Org. It shall not be recall'd nor sha't thou hinder it Arm. What means my Love Org. Dull thing I 'le tell thee I did as now I finde I had some cause Suspect thy mind too wav'ring for a Secret Of such great Consequence as ours was Therefore thou frail one with that bowl of poyson I 've Seal'd thy lips for ever Arm. Can it be Is this then the requitall of my love But Oh 't is now too late for to upbraid thee Yet Orgillus tho' you to me are Cruell Be mercifull to 'th Queen She 's Innocent O Save her save her e're it be too late Upon my knees with my last breath I beg you Do not persist in that will bring destruction Even to your long eternity and blot Your spotted Soul from the fair Book of Life Org. A fit of Conscience Pious fool but Conscience Is all our common frailty when we 're dying But to be kinder to you at our parting Then let you spend your last short breath in vain Imploy the little time thou hast to live Some other way and not on talk to me I have got by thee all the good I can If thou hadst had a farther Power to serve me Thou shoud'st have liv'd but I have gain'd my End And now 't is for my Int'rest thou shou'dst die Arm. You have your wish I find your words are true For Deaths Cold hand has seiz'd upon my heart Farewell thou Chief of thy false perjur'd Sex And O take heed for bloud will sure have bloud Tho' Cruell as you are I can forgive you And wish that Heav'n wou'd deal so mildly by you My death is only what I have deserv'd But O beware let not Semanthe Die For hers will surely be reveng'd at full The fatall Drug works strongly in my breast I feel I feel my life decay apace You powers forgive me for my Sinfull Crime Take me O take me to your bless'd abode Preserve the Queen let not this black designe Reach her dear life tho' it has lost â—e mine Die Org. She 's gone now Brother thou' rt secure from fear The Secret now 's alone between us two And if we are not Traytors to our selves We must be safe where shall I now dispose her Stay let me see under my window runs A River very proper for my purpose From thence Immediately I 'le cast her in And if she 's found ev'ry one will suppose She met her Death by accident or else My Brother shall Insinuate to the King She was Complotter with the Queen Semanthe And Guilt had caus'd her act a desperate deed It shall be so I 'le instantly dispatch And tell my Brother how I have Succeeded Farewell thou loving fool I pitty thee But 't was not for my safety thou shou'dst live For when we once are Conscientious grown We cannot keep a Secret tho' our own Exit Carrying off Armena The Scene Drawn discovers Semanthe in Prison In her Night-Gown Reading A Lamp burning by her Sem. All 's hush'd and quiet as the peacefull Grave The Labourer tyr'd with his dayly toil Now takes a sweet repose but I must wake For ever wake and never know content Plac'd in a dismall dark and Loathsome Jail And cannot guess what Crime I have Committed Nor why the Cruell King is Angry Were I but sensible of any fault I shou'd then think it Justice I were here But cou'd I search my life from the beginning I cannot think a Guilt deserving this Enter to her the King Whose there at this late hour my Lord the King King Yes yes Adulteress Look on me Monster look on him thou 'st wrong'd Behold a King that would have dy'd for'thee And for his faithfull violent Constant love Cou'dst thou not make him a more kind return Sem. O Sir as you wou'd gain Immortall honour On Earth and everlasting Joys in Heav'n As you wou'd have your Glorious actions fill The Book of fame and like ascending Incense Perfume the Skies and treat th' immortall Gods Be kind and let me know how I 've offended For by the Sacred lights that shine above These eyes yet never saw the rising Sun But that my Vows and Prayers were sent to Heav'n For the dear safety of my Royall Lord Therefore I cannot guess what wond'rous fauit I have Committed to deserve a Dungeon King O thou bewitching Syren dar'st thou plead An Ignorance to all thy horrid Guilt Nay then thou are a Monster damn'd indeed To Plunge in Sin and pretend Innocence I thought t' have found thee mourning for thy Crime For Sinfull as thou art it was my wish Thou might'st before thy Death make peace with Heav'n Sem. My death Good Heav'n what means my Royall Lord I hope that time is not yet near at hand King Most sure why cou'dst thou think I 'de be so tame After I 'de found thee false to let thee live Sem. How false my Lord in what King False to my bed I need not tell thee for thou know'st too well By Heav'n thou art as light as fleeting ayr Sem. Who 's my accuser King My own eyes beheld thee Clasp'd arm in arm with Ithocles Sem. Nay then I find I am Betray'd and you Abus'd King Betray'd Good Heav'n what does the strumpet mean Nay then 't is time to give the fatall blow For shou'd I listen longer to her words Aside She wou'd persuade me spight of all I saw To take her to my Arms and pardon her Come thou fair Devil in thy Prayers reckon to her The perfect sum of all thy horrid sins There amongst others pour forth streams of bloud For one above the rest Adul'try Adul'try Semanthe Such a guilt as were the Sluces of thy eyes let up Tears cou'd not wash it off Now turn thy eyes into thy hov'ring Soul And do not hope for life wou'd Angells sing A Requiem at my Herse but to dispense With my Revenge on thee 't wou'd be in vain Prepare to dye Sem. I will most willingly But wou'd fain make my Innocence appear Dear Sir upon my knees I do entreat you To hear me speak before my Execution If I were that strange Monster you wou'd make me It were but Justice you shou'd take my life But here I swear by the Eternal Powers By all my hopes in Heav'n I am not false Believe my tears King
The fatall Plot that 's working in my Brain Aims at no less a Price for my Scorn'd love Then her too haughty life who has refus'd me Org. Is all your violent love then come to this Have you so soon forgot Semanthes beauty Is that bright Angell you so late admir'd Become so very low in your esteem That you can talk of Aiming at her life Men. O Orgillus didst thou but know as I do The Pangs the Tortures of a slighted love Thou woud'st not wonder at this sudden Change For when ill treated it turns all to hate And the then darling of our Soul's revenge Enter Nearchus How now the news with you Nea. Lord Ithocles is just arriv'd at Court And brings the news of the Kings victory Men. How victory Oh bane to all my hopes Had he but brought news of his Funerall aside This scornfull beauty then perhaps might yeild Org. Lord Ithocles the Herauld of his Tryumphs Is he the Harbinger Curse of the name Nea. Yes my good Lord he is Exit Nea. Men. Nearchus leave us Now Brother Orgillus I do remember the Kings wedding day Was Celebrated with all Martiall Pastimes with Tilts and Tournaments at the Solemnity Where Ithocles this Fav'rite of the Kings Got an Immortall fame to your dishonour Org. Dishonour yes and such dishonour too Sprung from a cause so weak that th'asham'd world Repeats it with a blush because this upstart In that days Tournament had the kind luck Only to Guide a Fortunate Launce against me A little to my disadvantage Chance Meer Chance the sport of Fortune for Heav'n knows For years I 've worn the Glory of the Lifts And ne're was foyl'd before but cause Semanthe Was pleas'd to give the Triumph of the day The Golden Lot of that one single chance To Ithocles the fond Uxorious King To please his Queen must sacrifice his Soldier The vain applause of this new-made Favourite Seduced his Royall reason to that poor Ingratitude that the exalted Ithocles Was mounted in my honours to Command That very Army which I 've led so often To Victory for this forgetfull King Men. Forgetfull yes Remembrance is a stranger to ingratitude Org. Had he perform'd some mighty feat in War To out-strip me in renown subdued some Kingdom Which my weak sword had lost then 't had been Justice T'o're-leap my head and seize my forfeit Lawrells But for a worthless prize a sportive Trophey For foyling me in a poor idle Tournament To have my blasted Glories all torn from me Degraded lost stript naked to adorn This Insolent rifler with my borrow'd Plumes Is canker to my Soul and ev'ry vein Run poyson at the thought Men. O just Resentments And sure my brother can't forget that time Org. Forget it Menaphon Impossible By Heav'n it grates my very Soul to think on 't O I have worn him still within my mind And wanted but an Opportunity To pluck this growing Phaeton from his Glory Men. Now is the time O Orgillus my brain Is full of Glorious thoughts for our revenge Methinks I have already in my view A Mapp of all the Mischiefs I intend To rid my thoughts of this proud scornfull beauty And thee of Ithocles the Man thou hatest Wilt thou be faithfull to me Org. Can you doubt it When you conspire the fall of Ithocles What is it I would fail t' assist you in The Mighty Conqueror of the Universe Ran not more Hazard's in his years of War Then I wou'd do to take Revenge on him Men. Come to my breast My Brother and my friend Was ever change like mine Some moments since My Soul was all a-burning fire of Love But that hot Love is in an instant gone And all my thoughts are now Revenge alone Ex. Om. The Scene Changes to the Pallace Enter Ithocles meeting Marcelia Mar. Wellcome my Lord my life my Ithocles Wellcome O wellcome from the hands of war Itho. O my Marcelia do I once more view thee Once more behold those dear those charming eyes By Heav'n my Love the King with all his Conquests Cannot have half the Joy thy presence gives me Mar. My dearest Ithocles my best lov'd Lord O what a long and tedious Separation Has this war made between us but for all The fears I 've felt the many tears I 've shed To think upon the many dangers you were in This happy minute makes a full amends Itho. Speak on and bless my ears with the dear Sound Of that Celestiall voice Musique more sweet Then is the Murmur of a slow pac'd Brook When 't is with thousand little Pebbles crost Or the Winds Pratling 'mongst the wanton Leafs Mar. But oh my Lord when the heat of fight Your Sword imbrued in bloud and your fierce mind Employ'd about the bus'ness of the War Then your Marcelia was not thought upon Itho. My unkind dear why dost thou wrong me so By Heav'n the thoughts of thee inspir'd my Courage And when I look'd upon the bold Sicillians And knew 't was they detain'd me from thy Arms I flew more fierce then Thunder from a Cloud And beat down all that did oppose my fury Not think of thee why thou wert all my thoughts And ev'ry dream still shew'd me my Marcelia And when the King wou'd to divert his cares With Feasts and Revells pass away the time I have retir'd alone into my Tent And bless'd my self with thinking on Marcelia Mar. And will you ever Love thus Itho. When I do not The Flouds shall run back to their Springs again The Woolf shall fly and fear the silly Lamb. But my best life when shall we Crown our Joys When will the dear the happy minute come That Marriage must for ever make thee mine What tho' the Cruel hand of War did part us Now that is past let us deferr no longer But make me bless'd above the rest of Men. Mar. My Lord you know the King's consent is wanting And tho' I do and will for ever love you I dare not Wed without his free Permission Since he has both a King and Uncles Power But more of that my Lord when he returns My duty calls me to attend the Queen And I dare stay no longer O my Lord I had a thousand thousand things to tell you When next we meet for we shall meet again I will Command some happy longer minute And then compleat kind loves unfinish'd murmurs Itho. My better self after so long an absence You may with safety grant one happiness A kiss from those fair Lips wou'd be no sin Good Night my Love thou dearest best of women The thoughts of thy bright Charms wou'd turn me mad But that I live in hopes I shall posses'em Thy beauteous Image fleets before my Eyes And shews the wond'rous Heav'n I so much prize Exeunt The End of the First Act. The Second ACT. SCENE I. Enter Menaphon and Orgillus Men. HE Comes my Brother Cyprus Monarch comes Wrap'd up with Joy for his success i' th' War To meet a
THE Treacherous Brothers A TRAGEDY Acted by Their MAJESTIES SERVANTS AT THE Theatre Royal WRITTEN By GEORGE POWELL Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for James Blackwell at Bernards-Inn-Gate Holbourn and Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 1690. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Patentees and Sharers of their Majesties Theatre Gentlemen FOR Incouragement of this Address to you my worthy Friends I am oblidg'd to acknowledge that a worthless Fruit like this stands no less indebted to the Courteous Gardner that lent the warm Bed to rear it then to the indulgent Palates that were so favourably pleased to relish it Your Favour therefore that admitted it to the Stage and the kind pardoning Audience that received it there divide my equal Gratitude I confess indeed if I durst for there was no good will wanting I had the same itch with the greater Brothers of the Quill of committing this pubish't Bawble into some Noble protecting Hands had not a riseing check of Grace call'd a Blush withheld me I consider'd possibly the highest Quality may forgive the loss of two short hours at a poor homely Entertainment much easier then publickly admitting so mean a Trifle Dedicated and laid at the Feet of Honour The first of the two Favours is but a generous Condescension e'en passant But the prefixing a great Name in lasting Print before so undeserving a piece of scrible is a Concession on their side too low and and an Ambition on mine too aspireing And therefore though I durst be bold with it on a Theatre and make 'em all my Patrons there my Confidence the Talent of the â—â—ge I wear not beyond my Dressing Room and durst presume upon Quality no farther To you therefore who were before kind to it I now send it for Protection and choose you Gentlemen my Patrons and on my word I know not where I cou'd have pick't out better for to pride my self in the choice of your Protection and give my Patrons their true Panegyrick I must avow to the World that if ever there were a true Mecaenas of Poetry at least in Modern Story that name properly and rightly belongs to none Gentlemen so much as your Selves and to prove this just Honour no Complement but your lawful due which indeed is more then the Laws of Dedication oblige me to if the Town wou'd allow me able to read as that they 'll hardly do I 'de venture to quote one stanza of Gondibert for my Justification giving this Account of Poetry Oh! hireless Science and of all alone The Liberal meanly the rest each State With Pension treats but this depends on none Whose worth they reverently forbear to rate Now if the World has made so little Provision for the maintenance of the Muses as kind Davenants too true Oracle tells us I 'm afraid upon due Examination that little Bread they gather will be found almost all glean'd from a Theatre one kind honest Actor that frets and struts his hour upon the Stage as the Immortal Shaksphear has it is possibly a greater Benefactor to the Muses then the greatest Family of Grandees that run Pedigrees and track Originals up from the Conquest The time has been when as old Ben ended his Grace with God bless me and God bless Ralph viz. the honest Drawer that drew him good Sack So some Modern Authors with the same Equity might full as Pathetically have furnish'd out one Article of their Prayers not forgetting the present Props of the Stage with God bless Mohun and God bless Hart the good Actors that got 'em their good third Days and consequently more substantial Patrons then the greatest gay Name in the Frontispiece of the proudest Dedication Poetry thrives so little now that I much fear the famous Suckling himself was mistaken in his own Laureat for there are those wou'd be glad to find that kind rich Alderman his Appollo gave the Bays to that out of all his heaped Coffers wou'd either give or lend to the fairest of the nine Mendicant Sisters No Gentlemen the Pernassus bears no good Crop but upon that part of it lying and scituate within your own Garden Walls all the rest of it produces only that unprofitable growth that 't is scarce worth cultivating all other Poetry Dramatick only excepted turns to so little Account that the Toyl's as hopeless as labouring for the Philosopher's Stone the Undertaker is certain to get nothing by it and if he 's born to an Estate to bear his Expences in the Projection his only comfort is he shall not be undone by it If therefore a few stragling Cions of Poetry now and then start up in the World the Incouragement is so much your own that they wholly root with you And if the greatest Dons of Wit that carry the highest merit with 'em are in Honour oblig'd to this Confession how much greater ought my Acknowledgments to be who owe my Access to the Stage meerly to your Act of Grace In turning this dowdy Brat therefore into the World a like bound to the Midwife and the Godfathers Your generous administring kindness in handing it into light and the no less generous Audience for standing Vouchers for it I take this Opportunity of publishing my self Gentlemen Your most obliged and most obedient Humble Servant George Powell THE Preface to the Reader THE time was upon the uniting of the two Theatres that the reviveing of the old stock of Plays so ingrost the study of the House that the Poets lay dorment and a new Play cou'd hardly get admittance amongst the more precious pieces of Antiquity that then waited to walk the Stage And since the World runs all upon Extremes as you had such a Scarcity of new ones then 't is Iustice you shou'd have as great a glut of them now for this reason this little Prig makes bold to thrust in with the Crowd 'T is true some of the Poets the great Dramatick Professors began to murmur that such diminutive Interlopers as my self should be suffer'd and cou'd scarce forbear railing at the Injustice of the Company in indulging such inconsiderable Invaders of their Province the Stage Now I think my Masters 't is a little hard that those greater first-rate Wits shou'd come with top and Top Gallant and thunder their Broad sides amongst you and a poor little Fan Fan should be denied giving the Town a small Pot-Gun Besides they have more Cause to be pleased at the exposing of so witless a trifle as this if 't were no more than for a Foil to their own more exalted Sence for Faith some of 'em need one After this Apology for their Favors I am affraid kind Reader I shall find it a harder Task to Court yours however to make some Essay towards it First I must tell you that it if the Play wants Language or any thing else or rather all things to please you nevertheless to take the modish way of Prefacing and not undervalue my self I assure you to the Credit of
can hold no longer Take take Adult'ress thy just reward Draws Runs to the Queen and the King stops him King Hold hold I charge you for that brave Revenge Is due to me alone wake wake you Monsters That e're I send you to th' infernall shades I may a while torture your Souls on Earth And let you know what 't is to wrong a King Ithocles wakes and seeing the Queen by him starts And turning round sees the King Itho. Where am I ha What dreadfull Vision 's this If I do wake some pittying God above Be kind and end my life this very moment My Lord the King King Yes Monster 't is the same Who is come hither to behold a Sight Wou'd damn a Saint and blast a Bassalisk To see two brooding Vipers mix their Poisons And a Lascivious lewd Adult'ress burn With lust far more Tempestuous Flames far hotter Then that great day when the young Chariotier Misled the Sun and set the World on Fire O I 'm not able to endure the Torture My Guards there Enter Guards Attendants and Penthea Seize on that Infernal Feind Guards seize Ithocles Itho. My Gracious Lord hear me but speak one moment King Be gone you slaves and house him in a Dungeon Load him with Irons lay more weight on him Then ought to hang upon his Canker'd Soul When he reflects upon his Monst'rous Crime Guards force him out Mar. O Eyes after this Object see no more O lead me lead me from the dismall Scene to Penthea Let me no more behold the face of day But in a Place fit for so lost a Wretch In darkness End my miserable Life There from the false deluding Flatt'ring Tongues O Faithless men for ever I 'le remain And ne're believe that Perjur'd Sex again Exit Mar. weeping led by Penthea King Who wou'd believe a Guilty wretch like her Cou'd take a sleep so sound Semanthe wakes But see the wakes And seems amaz'd to see her lover gone Turn this way wretched thing and look on me Semanthe runs amazedly to the King Sem. My Lord the King O take me to your arms And sheild me from that lean devouring feind O Sr I 've had a dream of so much horrour 'T would Certainly have rum me to distraction Had not the sight of you awak'd my spirits But my dear Lord I little did expect T' have had your wish'd for company to night King Hear hear you Gods the Cunning of this Syren Look down upon the Sex which you have made To Curse Mankinde and fill the world with plagues O Devill Devill in thy properest shape How canst thou look upon me but with Horrour Sem. Alas what means my Lord sure I dream still I do beseech you speak not such harsh words My tender heart unus'd to these strange sounds Struggles within me as 't wou'd leave its dwelling King Peace peace thou Artfull Strumpet talk no more Sem. What is he Angry to Mele. Mele. Blackest vengeance seize thee Where hadst thou Impudence to ask that question Sem. Good Heav'n what unknown Crime have I committed To Pull that Curse from Meleanders mouth weeps Sem. My Royall Lord to the King King Damnation Stop thy Speech Go take this Viper to your Custody to Bassanes And let her not behold the face of day Sem. May I not know my fault King Perdition seize thee Away with her let me not hear her speak Sem. Have you no pity King Dogs have you no ears Sem. Stay but one Moment to Bassanes King Better swallow fire Sem. Brother Plead for me Mele. Sulpher Choak thy voice Exit Meleander Exit Semanthe forc'd out by Guards King O I am all within a burning Etna My blood boyles hotter then the Poison'd flesh Of Hercules Cloath'd in the Centaur's Shirt Men. Had I not seen I never cou'd have thought Semanthe of all womankind was false King She 't is no wonder friend for by yon Heav'n The Sex is all perdition When nature shall all blaze and the Poles crack Hell Gape and all its Sulph'rous mines burst out 'T is only woman that must light the fire Men. O horrour what a Tempest have I rais'd Dear Sir no more Cease this wild rage King I 've done Pauses And now will study for a dire revenge Rise from thy Scorching Den thou Soul of mischief And teach me Torments ne're before invented Swell me revenge till I become a Hill High as Olimpus Cloud dividing Top That I may fall and crush 'em to the Center O that I cou'd make her an Age in Dying And O that her's were like Prometheus heart And I' th immortall vulture to Torment it Men. O Royall Sir upon my knees I beg If all the Service that I ever did you Can merit but the smallest spark of favour Hear me but speak 't is true she ought to Dye Her Crime I must confess unpardonable But O consider Sir think on her Sin Think on the Anger Heav'n must bear against her And shou'd you send her hence loaded with Guilt T' wou'd forfeit all her Joys i' th other world Therefore most Sacred Sir I do intreat That you wou'd spare her time for a repentance King Repent Alas thou knowst not what thou sayst Is 't possible a woman e're can Pray No friend the only use they make of Heav'n is To be forsworn by 't but my sence turns wild And throngs of thoughts are crowding for a passage By all my hopes she shan'tout-live this night Even now I 'le bath my hands I' th Stumpets blood Farewell my Lord and e're the morning Dawns Thou sha't behold these hands Steep'd in her Gore And even her name raz'd from my memory From this wild rage her Death shall free my Soul And I forget I had a Queen so foul For ever scorn nay loath all woman-kind But oh my former Peace I ne're shall find Ex. King Manet Menaphon Men. So my designs at last have gain'd their end But stay Armena lives and she 's a Woman By Consequence too leakey to keep secrets My Brother therefore must dispatch her straight By Heav'n to Night she must not live till morn For that frail Sex is so much given to talk They are not silent in their very sleeps And tho' the secrets they 're intrusted with Are ev'n the Hinges that their own lives hang on Their slippery tongues are all so giv'n to stir That death 's the only thing can keep 'em still Therefore to make our great Foundation sure Her talking Malady by Death we 'le cure Exit SCENE IV. A Prison Ithocles discover'd Chain'd and lying on a Couch A Lamp burning by him Itho. To what may I compare this dismal place Sure 't is a grave A Tomb for living Men Or else a Place form'd by Conspirators To lay those dark and Damnable designs That dare not look upon the open day You mighty Rulers of the Heav'ns and Earth You Sacred Guardians of poor wretched man Do I deserve these Chains this loathsome Dungeon You know my Innocence you