the Result which from them all did rise My Soul to this belief did quickly win That Yielding Duty was Resistance Sin Guesc. Your Grief from Love not Friendship then does grow King It springs at once from Love and Friendship too For I observ'd during the masking Night The Prince on her did alwayes fix his Sight And often from his breast a Sigh wold steal Which as his Looks his Passion did reveal But that which made my Trouble much more great Was when her Sight did with the Prince's meet A bright Vermillion in her Face would rise Then with a Sigh she would cast down her Eyes What stronger Prooff could either of them show That he lov'd her and that she Lov'd him too Condemn not then my Grief who must contend Both with my Conquerour and with my Friend Guesc. Let that which does your Grief your Glory prove Making your Friendship overcome your Love 'T will be by all a Greater Action held Thus to Decline a Love then Gain a Field As much as Vertue above Fortune is So much your Glory will out-rival his For you a Nobler Conquest this secures Let Force his Triumph make but Friendship yours King Guesclin Such talk as this you must forbear The greatest Glory is her Chains to wear In what thou mov'st thou dost mispend thy breath None cures her Beauties Wounds but She or Death Guesc. 'T is strange to be so Vanquish'd the first hour King That does not show my Weakness but her Pow'r Her Beauty onely has the Right and Art At the first Sight to Captivate a Heart Her Eyes can be no more oppos'd then Fate Others may Raise but she does Love Create Guesc. I once believ'd the Empire of your Breast Could onely by Valeria be possest King I was my self to that belief confin'd But now Plantagenet has chang'd my Mind She claim'd my Heart in such a Charming way That to Refuse was worse then to Obey Guesclin She gives as to my cost I prove New Rules in Beauty and new Laws in Love Guesc. This sudden change I cannot Sir but dread The News of it will strike Valeria dead King Who on my Conquerours Beauty does reflect Will find the Cause does justifie th' Effect Guesc. But why have you your Heart so soon resign'd To Outward Beauties till you knew the Mind King Ah when the Mask was done I quickly found Her Mind was like her Eyes with Brightness Crown'd Such heightned Wit did in her Words appear As she subdu'd my Heart too by my Ear 'T was vain alas to think of a Defence When she had Charm'd my Soul in every Sence Then do not hope my Passion to remove But as thou art my Friend assist my Love Guesc. Though I foresee this Passion many wayes Will to your Fame and Freedom Trouble raise And that the Prince's Love obstructs your way Yet Sir since you Command me I Obey I 'le make it Sir my business now to win Your Conquerours Confident fair Cleorin To Lovers Sir the Favorite Women are The same as Outworks to a Town of War Though to the Town compar'd but small they look Yet those once gain'd the Place is sooner took King Go my dear Guesclin then and quickly try If Friendships Wings as fast as Loves can Fly Exeunt several wayes The SCENE is the Prince's Chamber The Prince and Delaware Prince Oh Delaware mine is so strange a Grief As I nor Hope nor Wish to have Relief Dela May you not to your Servant Sir declare That Grief in which he begs to have a share Pr. Ah why should I that Grief to you impart Whose Trouble for it will more Wound my Heart With my own Sorrows I can scarce contend Adde not to these the Sorrows of my Friend Dela Since you to me so high a Title give I humbly beg you by it to believe Nothing to you so Great a Grief can be As this denial Sir would prove to me I Sir your Friendship Treats me at this rate 'T will make your Kindness wound me like your Hate Should I want Pow'r to make your Grief decline I 'le not increase it by disclosing mine Pr. That deep Affliction under which I Groan Cannot alas be eas'd by being known Yet since no proof you 'll of my Friendship take But what your trouble and my own must make Rather then you should fear the Truth of it I to that proof which you desire submit I doubt not you have heard how heretofore The Fair Plantagenet I did Adore And that I had some ground to think that she Nor Cruel nor Ungratefull was to me Heav'n knows I Lov'd her with so chaste a Flame As I to Marry her did onely aim To which at last my Father did consent When she next day but one did marry Kent And which is worse if worse then this can be She for it n'ere excus'd her self to me Dela To offer at it had increas'd th' abuse Who could excuse a fault above excuse Pr. I who through all Wars dangers oft have past I who a thousand times have Death out-fac'd In all those Horrors did less Trouble see Then in Plantagenets inconstancy Dela 'T is she not you which should her Change repent Since in her Sin she found her Punishment Pr. Alas to me a sad Revenge it prov'd To see her Ruin'd whom so much I Lov'd What worse to me could She or Fortune do Then make her Punishment my Torment too A Torment which all others did out-do Since I who felt it cannot tell it you But yet at last Honour prevail'd so far As I forsook Plantagenet for War Hoping in War by Death to find Relief Or else in time to wast away my Grief Dela In her Inconstancy and in that War Heav'n shew'd it took of you a double Care With deathless Lawrels you have Crown'd your Head And mâ—…st a Wife unworthy of your Bed Pr. How dare you talk of her at such a rate For though her Usage might deserve my Hate Yet from her Eyes such conquering Light does break As none of her but with Respect should speak Dela Forgive me if the sence Sir of your Wrong Did force a Guilty Duty from my Tongue Pr. To her alone that suit you must prefer I dare not pardon an Offence to Her The Wrong I told thee of concerns not Thee Dela Yes she in Wronging you has injur'd me Prince From such Discourse I charge you to refrain Be thought by me t' Endure and not Complain If what I said thou dost so much deplore What I must say I find will grieve thee more For know she does again my Conquerour prove Dela starts I thought her Change had cur'd my Injur'd Love But when last night I saw her Beauties Shine Resentment did to Love the Throne resign And that deep Wound clos'd up by her Disdain Was open'd by one Conquering Look again As when the Murth'rer does the Murder'd see The Corps will bleed a-fresh immediately Dela Oh let it never of my Prince be said He
leave That Generous Usage he to me does show Secures me here more then his Guards can do And though this Bond do Strong enough appear Yet a far stronger does Confine me here By your great Friendship Sir I here am ty'dâ—… But tell me freely is there ought beside Which by a Friend a Secret may be thought Which told a Friend his Friend may think a Fault Prin. Yes Sir yet I will mention but one more Looking fixedly on the King Suppose two Friends one Beauty did Adore If he whose Heart her eyes the last o're came Should to his Rival Friend disclose his Flame He well might think the Injury was Great King I hope you do not love Plantagenet Prin. Yes Sir I do and with a Love so High As it can never Cease until I Die King Ah Since you Love her and to that Degree Why was your Passion not Reveal'd to me Telling you first she does my Conquerour prove You make your Friendship Guiltier then my Love Prin. Why should I tell you what you needs must know For whosoeuer sees must love her too King Since such high Pow'r does to her Eyes belong Think not in loving her I do you Wrong Prin. To love such Charming Eyes no wrong can be But 't is a Wrong to tell your Love to me King Since all who Look on her she must Subdue Is it a wrong to tell you what you knew Because you thought your Love was known to me You judg'd your Silence was no Injury But I as soon as I her Lover grew Judg'd it a Duty Sir to Tell it you Consider which of us has done the worst Prin. I who first saw her must have lov'd her First Therefore my Passion must be known to you King I hear'd you Lov'd Her and she Lov'd You too But afterwards she did Inconstant prove And I believ'd that Wrong had Cur'd your Love Prin. Her Beauties were unworthy my Esteem If any thing more Powerful were then Them King Knowing their Pow'rs admire not if you see That Love more strong then Friendship is in me Prin. Yet since I to her Beauties first did bow Your Love 's a Wrong to me not mine to you King Io. Affronts the Ties of Friendship may undo Yet you still love her though she injur'd you You clearly have Declar'd in what you Did That her Fair Eyes does Friendships strength exceed And she who spight of Wrongs triumphs o're you Triumphs o're me in spight of Friendship too Since she o're you the greatest Pow'r has shewn Blaming my Passion you more blame your own Our Love in both or neither is amiss Yours above wrongs mine above Friendship is But the Success of mine I may dispair Since now I know that you my Rival are I with Disgrace am cloath'd but you with Fame Which makes me merit Pity more then Blame Prin How can I Sir that Pity give to you Which o my own Case is more justly due Besides her change for which my Soul does mourn Besides my Friend who does my Rival turn As high an I â—…as both of these I feel King May you that Secret Sir to me Reveal To me who though as Rival you may blame Yet I your Friend more than your Rival am For at this Name I Grieve at that Rejoyce This is th' Effect of Force but that of Choice Embracing him Prin. Oh I did err and in a high degree Repining that you Rival were to me Since 't is more fit that pain I should abide Then that her Eyes this Triumph were deny'd As both in Love and Friendship I exceed So both Disdain in common paths to tread Unjust to Her and Love I should appear Would I without a Rival conquer her King This Declaration I unmov'd receive Since you to be your Rival give me leave But to Plantagenet should prove unkind Yet in my Friendship I some ease shall find For should the worst of Fortunes be my share Your Trophies I should raise in Love as War Thus I by Friendships Pow'r shall be supply'd With what to me my Fate and Love deny'd My Friendship for you nothing can impair Since it stands firm though you my Rival are For I who best her Beauties pow'r do know Find your excuse from thence for being so And to confirm this Truth I now will show That Secret to you which you ask'd to know Prin. Those conquering Beauties which did us subdue Have made my Father turn my Rival too King I thought he Lov'd the Fair Alizia Prin. And Sir I thought you Lov'd Valeria King Our Conquerours Eyes must every Heart reduce In my own Fate I find the Kings Excuse Prince 'T is She alone with the high Pow'r is blest Of Captiavating Freedoms prepossess'd King She does in the same Fare such is her Pow'r Involve the Conquer'd and the Conquerour Prin. But 't is not Sir at this that I repine I know where e're her Beauties please to slime They ought to Conquer as their Native Right Me by his Rivalship he does not Fright For 't is Her choice alone which can improve The highest Lover to deserve her Love And Sir my Flame which brightest shall appear Would make it Sin should I a Rival fear But that which does my Soul with Grief subdue Is his forbidding me to Love her too Oh why should the Paternal Right oppose The nobler Right which Love on her bestows King Oh Prince your Case is difficult I see He should have treated you as you treat me But in the Fatal strait which you are in You must against your Love and Nature sin What Resolution think you to pursue Prin. Ah 't is much easier to Resolve than Do For once I thought I could so far Obey As silently to Mourn my Life away But Love the Monarch Passion of the Soul That Resolution quickly did controul Making me find that her Triumphant Eyes Are much more pow'rful then all Natures ties Yet that no odds of you I may receive But what my greater Love to me does give I let you know on her this night ' I le wait And from her Sentence I 'le receive my Fate Sir if you please you may there go with me And both together learn our Destiny I hope if mine does prove a happy Doom My Father by Submission to o'recome But if a Fatal Doom she does dispence That will Revenge my Disobedience King Since you allow me I on you will wait Of that bright Beauty to receive my Fate Though I already cannot but foresee The certain Ruine that must fall on me For she must be Unjust as she is Fair If of her Love she makes me not Dispair Or if she should me with her Favour bless Your Grief for it will Kill my Happiness Fate neither way to me nor hope allow Prin. The value of her Love you injure now Since whosoe're her Favour does possess In part the relish of unhappiness King If of her Love such Thoughts I do admit My height'ned Friendship is the cause of
it And Sir you are oblig'd by Honours Laws T' excuse Effects where Friendship is the Cause Prin. Admire not that my Rival I reprove For too much Friendship and too little Love But pardon me since I therein express I prize her Right above my Happiness King Ah generous Prince such Vertues shine in you That you in Love as War must all subdue Prin. Since Sir together we resolve to go And from Plantagenet our Fate to know 'T is fit that we no longer should defer To beg her leave this night to wait on her King But e're we know the Sentence she will give Let us from one another Sir receive A mutual Vow that still we Friends will be Prin. That to our Friendship were an injury It is its own Security you know And does more strongly bind than any Vow Against our Friendship Love in vain contends For though we Rivals are wee 'll both be Friends Yet give your Friend that pity he does seek Who to obey Loves Law must Natures break Exeunt King Edward and Lord Latymer King Never an Act so Insolent was done Affronted by my Pris'ner and my Son Both know Plantagenet is lov'd by me And yet my Rivals both presume to be In my Revenging it I 'le lose no Time Their Sufferings shall be equal to their Crime I 'le make them feel that 't is a dangerous thing To dare to court the Mistress of a King Lat. I beg you not for their sakes but your own Let first this storm of Anger be o'reblown ' Ere you determine what is fit to do Then such Resolves you safely may pursue If Patience guide you not they will esteem Your Passion onely Sir does punish them King Delay in the Affront they cast on me Would be not Patience but Stupidity Lat. Consider I beseech you Sir how they The â—…ow'r of Love not Reasons Pow'r obey Such strange Effects that Passion does produce As for all â—…aults Love is its own Excuse Love does our Noblest Faculties controul 'T is in effect the Feaver of the Soul King My Lord such talk as this I 'le not admit Share not their Guilt by thus excusing it But follow them and let them understand They now are both confin'd by my command This night in which their Love they should have shown I am determin'd to declare my own Since by their Love my Pow'r they injure so I by my Pow'r their Love will punish too Exeunt several wayes Plantagenet Delaware Cleorin The Scene Plantagenets Chamber Dela Those Fires of Love have still most 〈◊〉 been Which though they highly Burn'd have Burn'd unseen And under those which I discover'd now For many years my Conquer'd Heart did bow Admire not yet I could so long disguise From your own Sight the Acting of your Eyes For though the Sun on the Earths face but shines Yet by his Influence he does ripen Mines Your Eyes which Shine at least as Bright as He Perform like him things which you could not see But yet this Breast in which your Beauty Shin'd May boast of Love purer than Gold Refin'd Your Eyes alone perform within may Heart More then the Sun on Mines though help'd by Art As it was just my Love I should display So 't is as just your Will I should Obey Which I shall do when you but speak the word Though 't were to pierce my Heart with my own Sword And nothing in that Action I shall fear But to offend your Image which is there Plan. My Lord I think you from your Sister know The Friendship which I always had for you Yet since your words th' occasion does admit I will my self give you a Proof of it Though your declaring of your Love for me Is in it self no little Injury Yet for my Friendships sake I 'le pardon you If you th' Offence will not again pursue Dela Madam your Justice should this Usage blame You cloud your Cruelty with Friendships name As Judges to the Tortur'd Respite give To lengthen Pain but not to make them live Such Usage yet were for that Servant sit Who durst Adore you and not tell you it Though 't is some Guilt to say I Die for you Yet is that Guilt Madam a Duty too Ah Madam sure you ought not to deny To take the Debt or bid the Debter die You Sentence is too Heavy or too Light You either should me Kill or Save me quite Plan. Since by your self my Lord I now am told Your Love for me is more refin'd than Gold I 'le put it to a Tryal but so vast As never yet that Courted Metal past Know then my Love for which so much you strive Is not alas in my own Pow'r to give The Prince of Wales Dela In Pity say no more Fate never had a Curse like this in store Rais'd to the Charming'st Hope of all the World Into Despair I now from thence am hurl'd You keep that Word to which your self you ty'd And Try me more then ever Gold was Try'd That Glitterring Earth when it has pass'd the Fire Is the Refiners Wonder and Desire But I having Loves Fiery Tryal past Like the Neglected Dross away am cast Cleo. Oh Brother had not Love your Mind deprav'd You 'd think you were not Cast away but Sav'd The Crime you act she calmly does reform Dela Ah! such a Calm is worse than any Storm Cleo. How can the Princess more obliging prove Than to give Friendship when she cannot Love Dela Oh Sister he who to her Love aspires To nothing less can limit his Desires Loves Pow'r must always Friendships pow'r outdo For Love at once is Love and Friendship too Cleo. You should with Joy what she bestows receive She Gives in Friendship all she has to Give And to convince you hers is Great and True She the first hour her Secrets Trusts with you Dela Since to Receive my Love she does deny She by her Anger ought to make me Die That 's the best Proof of Friendship she can give And therefore that alone I can receive He for her Love does grant himself unfit Who can be won t' outlive the loss of it Plan. What I have yet perform'd can but pretend To let you see how much I am your Friend But that my Lord which now I do Design Shall let you see how much I think you mine For by your Councel and Assistance too The life of all my Hopes I will pursue Admire not Shame thus in my Face prevails When I confess I love the Prince of Wales For though th' Affront which I from you receiv'd Does make me blush that after it I liv'd Yet I whether by Weakness or by Fate Still Love that Prince whom I ought most to Hate And how that Love with Honour to pursue Is that in which I ask advice of you Dela starts For he esteems you in such high Degree As you the fittest are to give it me Dela Oh Fate Oh Love why do you both agree To give such Beauty
false Joys or hiding Greif that 's true Her Rather then Griev me thinks you should Rejoyce Since Tryphon Madam you have made your choice Cleo. Rather then I Hermione would have Tryphon for husband I would wed my Grave Her Why did you his Addresses then receive And ne're so much as ask Nicanor's leave Had 〈◊〉 but to your Father told your mind He to prevent it Something had design'd Cleo. 'T is that which made me doe what I have done For I more feare his Ruine then my owne This is my Duty which appears my Crime Better he mourn'd for me then I for him But now my Word is given 't is past recall I 'l be Unhappy to prevent his Fall He gave me Life and therefore for his sake The Life he gave me I will Wretched make For such 't will be when I am Tryphon's Wife This way alone could Save Nicanor's life For by th' Usurpers Fury he had dy'd If he to many me had been deny'd Her Since 't was your Duty Madam as you owne And not Ambition led you to the Crowne Why did you not your head and arm employ To save your self and Tryphon to destroy Cleo. Ah I was loath to act the Guilty part Of Owing and not Paying him my Heart Her Do you so hate him as you 'le Wretched be Rather then yield his Sword should set you Free And under Tryphon let your Countrey bow Sooner then let him save both it and you Ah Madam to my Grief alas I see That you would now conceal your self from me Cleo. Think not that I conceal my self from you Telling you what my Duty made me doe Ar. Duty might you to marry Tryphon lead If that alone could 〈◊〉 Nicanor's head But you a much 〈◊〉 Easie Way may chuse To reach that End and yet that Way refuse When Madam by pursuing of it you Might save at once Your Self and Countrey too For none but brave Aretus that I see The valour has to end this Tyranny From which his Love to you will him restrain If you with Tryphon as his Queen should Raign Alas what is the poor Aretus Crime That rather then you 'l be oblig'd to him You 'l of your Contry's Tyrant be the Wife And which is worse you 'll save that Tyrants Life Cleo. Doe not I shew I think him free from Crime That lose my self rather then hazard him Her In that Attempt he 'l but some Hazard runne But iâ—… you marry Tryphon he 's undone Thus from the Hazard you Aretus free But to destroy him the more certainly Ah Madam by such reas'ning you declare That in your Confidence I have no share 'T is therefore fit our Friendship here should End For who Distrusts deserves to Lose a Freind And since with me so Cruelly you deale I 'l bid you now eternally farewell Would to the Gods this had been done before That none might think I Like what I Abhorre But though from you my self I thus divide Yet still I 'l pray that Heaven may be your Guide Cleo. Raise not the Sorrows under which I bend By threatning to deprive me of my Friend This vsage so severe I needs must blame Her Why doe you thus abuse that Sacred Name Alas for me it is no longer fit For your Mistrust Madam has cancel'd it Therefore from you for ever will I part she offers to goe out Cleo. Oh stay and I 'l Disclose to you my Heart Yet with so cross a Fortune I contend As I 'm asham'd to tell it to my Freind Her What ever Sorrows have opprest your Heart Yet since you strove to hide your self by Art From me whom you call Freind you ought much more That Sin then those Misfortunes to Deplore Cleo. My Grief from you I will no longer hide That you may Pity her whom now you Chide But let us first Hermione remove To some such Shady Place as yonder Grove That when to you my Secret I commit You scarce may see how much I blush at it They goe out Enter Tryphon and Seleucus The Scene Tryphon's Apartment Sel. Forgive me Sir if I presume to say You have appear'd in too much Grief this day And all last night you took so little Rest As if some Sorrow had your Heart opprest Try Alas Seleucus I am under now Sorrows would make the Strongest Soul to Bow And I have often for Demetrius sent That in his Friendship I might give them vent But since he does not come and since I know That perfect Friendship which he has for you Being with Trouble so much overprest I will commit that Secret to your Breast Sel. This Favour no addition can admit Unless Sir I may serve you too in it Try That Friendship for Demetrius which I have And which shall never cease but in the Grave Made me resolve by his Advice to gaine The Syrians Kindness by a gentle Reigne And since Nicanor's Vertue most does Shine That I without Reserve might make him Mine I by Demetrius Councell too was led To raise Nicanor's Daughter to my Bed Sel. Which of Nicanor's Daughters is it Sir That he would have you to your Crown preferr Try 'T is Cleopatra whose Bright Eyes I own Makes her deserve to share the Syrian Throne You seem to Sigh at what I told you now Sel. Under your Grief how could I choose but Bow But under what Affliction can you bend Having a Crown that Mistress and that Friend Try Most men with one of those might Happy be But I am Wretched though I have all three For Heaven decrees from whence our Law we take How much shall every mortall Happy make And if he does but faile in one of those Desires which must that Happiness compose That one Deny'd though with all th' other Blest Will rob him of the Gust of all the rest If I must Love and in Love miss my ends Fortune in vaine sends me a Crown and Freinds Sel. Do's Cleopatra your Addresses slight Try That shee 'le receive them even my Heart does fright I who Undaunted through such Storms did steer As the most Brave would tremble but to hear I who have Kings depos'd and Battels won Andnever any thing like Feare have known Am now to see my Dearest Freind affraid And of the Yeildings of a Lovely Maid Sel. To share your Crown can you esteem her fitt And yet Sir fear that shee 'l accept of it Those words appear a Mistery to me Try Seleucus I 'l unvail the mistery 'T was yesterday that I Demetrius sent My Crowne to Cleopatra to present But 't was last night alas that I did see A Brighte Beauty which has Conquerd me Whose Eyes are blest with such a Pow'rfull charm They Burn those Hearts which others can but warm Till I that Beauty saw I did believe A man resolv'd the Law to Love could give Sel. Why should you Sir appear afflicted now Since 't is to so much Beauty that you Bow Love is a Fate which every one must Taste Some
so much Flame express As sure you could not but his Passion see Cleo. That 's not enough he should have told it me But what soe'r his Proofs of Love have been By me Dear Friend alas they were not seen For I so fear'd that I might act amiss In my own Love that I ne're minded his Blushes a Womans Passion may reveal But Men their Passion by their Words should tell Her Could he your Love more Generously seek Then to Deserve it and yet Nothing Speak Cleo. Rather what more could he have done amiss Then Lose my Love by so Concealing his A Love that is at once both Great and Strong While it doth Bind the Heart Sets Free the Tongue And lest that mine should make me Faulty prove I to my Honour Sacrific'd my Love So I did fear his Merit was so Great That asking Nothing he might All Things get Her How cruell is your Vertue or your Fate Which makes your Love produce th' Effects of Hate Cleo. Aretus yet more Cruelty does show That durst Love me yet durst not tell me so Her You doe him Double Wrong since his Respect You first Mistake then Punish as Neglect Such awfull Flames you in his Heart have bred As he thinks Silence ought his Love to plead He but defers to Speak what he does feel Till by his Actions you his Love may tell And to declare his Passion does delay Only to show it you the Noblest Way Cleo. Fatall Delay the Fatal'st that could be It loses me to him and him to me Yet such a High Respect to him I pay That on My Self I 'l Punish his Delay And since my Promise is to Tryphon made To Breake it Love it self shall not perswade That which for me your Friendship made me doe My Honour makes me now Perform for you Your Rivall I will never be again Her I for Aretus did a Love but feign That in your Blushes Madam I might see What by your Modesty was hid from me Yet had I lov'd I 'd not that Love pursue Since you best merit him as he does you But how can you so lust to Honour prove And yet resolve to be Unjust to Love Ah you much more then he have done amiss You prize your Word more then your Flame and his And by a Sacred Bond your self you Tye To him you hate and him you love you Fly Cleo I owe him less then I doe owe my Flame And fly not from his Love but from my Shame She to her Honour too Unjust does prove Who dares not value it above her Love Press me not then to Do what I should Shun Rather then be Unjust I 'l be Undone Those who are lost while Virtue they pursue In their Destruction find their Comfort too They goe out Enter Demetrius and Seleucus The SCENE Demetrius's Apartment Sel. Those were the Words which between us did pass Bul I perceive some Sadness in your Face Dem. My Heart and Face doe then but ill agree Since nothing could more welcome seem to me Sel. I cannot guess from whence your Joy should rise Since Tryphon told me 't was by your Advice That he did offer her to be his Queen And which is more that you employ'd had been To Court her to be Consort to his Throne Dem. All this and more then this I freely owne For I not only woo'd her to be Queen But her Consent to be it I did winn But why at this Seleucus do you start Sel. Alas what you have said has pierc'd my Heart Yet from my Friend I 'l not my self disguise The Charming Light of Cleopatra's Eyes Over my Soule the Victory did win But to herself this has a Secret been For my Demetrius I did judg it fit Not Words but Service should discover it That High Respect I did resolve was due To such a Beauty and such a Passion too Methinks at this which I have spoke you start I think her Beauties too have pierc'd your Heart Dem. How can you think for Tryphon I 'd appear If I my self had been in Love with her Sel. But why should you such Satisfaction show That he declines what you advis'd him to Ah sure your Liberty she did surprise Since first to Court her you did him advise I see what Beauty has made Tryphon doe What it has wrought in him it may in you And what I said such Change in you did move As I have Cause t'impute it to your Love Dem. If any Change does in my Looks appear 'T is not I vow that Im in Love with her Sel. Give me then leave there my Address to make Dem. That 's what I cannot Give but you may Take Sel. Neither for Tryphon nor your self to woo And yet deny me leave to court her too I cannot guess what 't is that you intend Dem. I were unfit to be Seleucus Friend Should I act otherwise â—…en now I doe For he who to one Friend does prove untrue That he may gaine another Friend's Esteem Deserves too justly to lose both of them Though I am yours above what I can say Yet I must be it too in Honours way In Friendship every other Tenure's ill By that mine has been held and shall be still Sel. Fate ore my hopes another Cloud does send I 'm Rival'd and by one that is your Friend But may you not acquaint me with his Name Who is my Fellow Martyr in this Flame Dem. No I 'l be just to both he shall not know You Rivall him or that he Rivals you Yet both thus farr shall be oblieg'd to me From Tryphon's Rivallship I 'l set you free But did he not acquaint you with her Name Who in his Heart has lighted such a Flame Sel. So vast a Cause of Joy to me it prov'd That he no longer Cleopatra lov'd As I did not remember to inquire Who this new Passion did in him inspire Dem. By what he said could you not gues at it Sel. Ah! he who Cleopatra's Love could quit The Pow'r of Love forever must forswear For could he Love who should he love but her Sure this new Love is but a Love of State But he for our return too much may waite Dem. I long to know to whom he does Submit As much as he that I 'l consent to it Exeunt Enter Nicanor Stratonice Aretus and Irene The SCENE Nicanor's Pallace Ire Sir that Demetrius may your Pardon winn That he made Tryphon court her for his Queen He bad me tell you every way hee 'l try To make that Love which he gave Life to Dy And hopes himself this night to let you know He has perform'd what he has promis'd you Nic. I at this Promise so much Joy admit As nought can Heighten but his doing it Stra. What e'r Demetrius hopes yet Sir I fear Tryphon will not decline his Love for her Nic. Demetrius Pow'r with him you know is Great Stra. The Pow'r of Beauty Sir is Greater yet And though th' Usurper were more fierce and
sorrows Tears away Shee 's Courted by a Monarch whose Renown Does make him greater much then does his Crown To Conquer All he has resistless Pow'rs His Sword subdues His Sex his Vertues Ours Sev. Then let his Virtue which you so much Prize Suppress your Jealousie and dry your Eyes Virtue so Firm as nothing can Remove Aliz. Virtue is nothing but a Name in Love What cannot Love when he is Victor do Which makes me think their Change their Virtue too Sev. With equal Flames the King your Flames did meet And daily breath'd his Passion at your feet Myrtles when giv'n by You were Dearer held Than all those Lawrells Vanquish'd France did yield He went with Grief that Empire to subdue Hating what ever sever'd him from You. Aliz. I see his Change in spight of all his Art He suffers not but plays the Lovers part Sev. Let not such Thoughts be entertain'd by you He Courts you now more then he us'd to do Aliz. This does the Truth of what I said detect His Passion now is chang'd into Respect And Love which once was High and is decay'd Like the Sun setting casts the greater shade From all his secret Vows he does depart 'T is False Love onely needs the help of Art Sev. Such Doubts his Constancy may Over-throw Who Thinks him False provokes him to Be so Did you to him your cause of Grief unfold Aliz 'T would not deserve that Name could it be told She meanly Loves who slighted can admit Ought but her Love alone can tell her it Sev. No wonder Grief thus in your Breast does Reign When you from your Physician hide your Pain Let Him but hear from whence your Sorrow grows Aliz. 'T is Love and vain to tell him what he knows Sev. Then I will tell it him and he will fly Faster to You than to a Victory And quickly learn to clear his Fancy'd Fault Aliz. A Perfect Lover needs not to be taught And if he were with Lovers tâ—…ue Passion Fir'd He would not need to Learn hee 'd be Inspir'd Sev. At my request ease your distemper'd Mind And on my life you suddenly shall find To think him faulty is to think Amiss Aliz. He is too Guilty since I think he is Exeunt several wayes Enter Cleorin and Delaware Cleo. I hop'd your absence now three years compleat Had cur'd your Passion for Plantagenet And you would Fame to hopeless Love prefer Dela I courted Fame but more to merit Her Since I durst Love not having Fame atchiev'd Since I Ador'd her while her Husband liv'd Now that the Noble Kent three years is dead Now that with Lawrel War has Crown'd my Head How can you be dear Sister so unwise To think that Love can fall while Hope does rise Cleo. You know Dear Brother onely for your sake That I three years incessant care did take To make my self your Conquerours Confident But though I have accomplish'd my Intent Yet all I Gain'd by it is to believe She never your Addresses will Receive For since she lost her Lord the Noble Kent She thinks all time not paid to Grief mispent Dela In what you say much cause of Hope I find Since Grief tâ—… unwelcom'st Passion of the Mind She does admit within her to Reside Love the most welcome cannot be Deny'd Cleo. Do not your Hopes with such wild Fancies feed Her 's is a Grief which does from Love proceed You by your Passion strangely are mis-led Dela Is it then possible to Love the Dead We but to those Alive can Love express For when the Cause does die the Effect must cease Cleo. Your own strange Fate opposes what you said Your Love does Live and yet your hope is Dead Dela Since Love has over her Triumphant been My Flame is such to doubt Success were Sin Cleo. Nothing from Sorrow can her Soul remove And Grief is still an Enemy to Love But were her Grief subdu'd yet I must say A greater hind'rance does obstruct your way In the King's Heart a growing Flame does rise Which he discovers by his Sighs and Eyes He is the greatest Monarch of the Earth And greater by his Actions then his Birth Dela Had I her heart his Titles would not sway In Loves just ballance onely Love does weigh Cleo. The Nature of our Sex I 'le not disguise Our Servants Loves less than their Pow'rs we prise For but in Name alone their Hearts are ours But we effectually do share their Pow'rs Dela Yet Love would tell her 't is a greater thing To Conquer then it is to be a King Cleo. There 's something else which makes my Care more great Then all which I to you have mention'd yet You know the Prince of Wales did once appear Your Conquerours Lover and was lov'd by her And he to wed her gain'd the Kings Consent But unexpectedly she married Kent I often prest the Cause she would reveal Yet she the secret does from me conceal But though she on the Prince does lay the Blame Yet she will weep when she but hears his Name A thousand other Proofs do make me doubt That Fire is onely cover'd not put out Dela Ah Cleorin there 's none but I alive Of that Strange Marriage an account 〈◊〉 give You know when to the Wars of France I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Which in short time did grow so strong and high As when he found he of his Wounds should die He to strict silence first did me Engage Then told me how he gain'd his Marriage Which is so strange a story I dare swear She never can love him nor he love her Cleo. I will not beg you then to tell me why Since you have ty'd your self to secresie Brother I now must leave you for you know Our King does on King Iohn a Masque bestow To which he did Plantagenet invite And thither I must wait on her to night Dela Ah since you must be gone yet e're you go Let me at least what I may hope for know Cleo. The highest joy to which you can pretend Is that your Mistress you may make your Friend Dela If She does Friendship and not Love bestow At once she 'll make me blest and wretched too Cleo. She 'll meet your Friendship but your Love she 'll shun Despair must do what Reason should have done Dela This is a cruelty she should abhorre She should not do so much or should do more Exeunt several wayes Enter the King Alizia and Sevina Alizia 's Chamber King While your Suspition to such height does rise You wrong at once my Passion and your Eyes Ah Madam be no longer so unkind Since you to think me False must think me Blind How can you doubt of any change in me When such fair Eyes are your Security Aliz. Ah do not Sir condemn what I have done To doubt your Love does more declare my own 'T is Love not Jealousie which I detect Then for the causes sake excuse th' effect King Madam
so late I fear As I no longer will detain you here But onely for the Ladies sake to ask If you have been delighted with their Mask King Jo. While they are here a Sin I should esteem My being pleas'd with any thing but them To such a height their conquering Beauties rise T' admire them onely I employ'd my Eyes King Ed. All those who treat of Love are much abus'd If Love be dangerous while 't is diffus'd To morrow they attend you at the Ball Then 't will perhaps on one contracted fall King Jo. 'T is harder Sir as 't is by tryall known To resist many then resist but one But much more hard when each of them I see Has Charms enough alone to conquer me Exeunt King John leading out Plantagenet As all are going out Alizia stops Sevina who both return on the Theater Aliz. Stay my Sevina ' ere from hence you go I must your Heart as you my Heart shall know Me thought I saw King Edward by Surprize Look on my Rivall with a Lovers Eyes If while I 'me present he does her Adore Ah when I 'me absent sure he does it more Sev. Through a false Optick Madam still we look When Jealousie hath once possession took I mark'd the King and if His Looks were true He with Loves eyes did onely look on you But I am sure the Princes Eyes were set With so much Passion on Plantagenet As all my Skill in Looks I think is vain If his old Wound bleeds not afresh again And I 'le ne're trust a Womans Eyes if She Be not as sick of that Disease as He. Aliz. I am amaz'd at what I hear from you Sev. Madam You 'll find what I have said is true And if the Prince and Shee each other Love The Kings Addresses will Successless prove Should his imagin'd Passion be as high As you can think though thought by Jealousie This Madam ought your Trouble to suppress Aliz. It does increase rather then make it less Ah what Delight or Glory will it be To find her Scorn does drive him back to me May she still rather of her Conquest boast Then I regain so meanly what I lost My Lover to my Rival I will loose Sooner then Take a King she does Refuse Then do not think I 'le do so Low a thing I 'le Nobly Loose or Nobly Keep the King Sev. My hopes of Serving you I must forsake When you a Poison of your Cordial make Aliz. What greater curse in Love can Fortune send Then make the way unworthy to the end For should He from my Rivall now refrain I must attribute it to her Disdain I by my doubt did but the Pain endure But what you said cuts off all Hope of Cure Exeunt The SCENE is Plantagenets Chamber Plantagenet and Cleorin Cleo. Pray speak your thoughts since I have told you mine Plan. Alas dear Friend they are the same with thine But to be us'd by Him as I have been Does make me blush at Love as at a Sin Cleo. I oft have beg'd you Madam but in vain To tell me why you of the Prince complain Plan. 'T is that alone from thee I can conceal Nay I that Secret would to thee reveal Had I not Lov'd the Prince to such degree As I had rather be Condemn'd then he Ah what can my Respect more clearly show Then willingly his Guilt to undergo Cleo. I cannot think a Prince of such high Fame As all the World does homage to his Name To such a horrid Crime can condescend As is unfit for you to tell your Friend Plan. To those bright Stars which guide us 't is a shame That so much Falshood dwells with so much Flame Cleo. Heaven seldom does that man with Lawrels Crown Who ought by Thunder to be strucken down And Crimes which you to me dare not relate Cannot but Merit Madam such a Fate I doubt you are betray'd by some abuse Plan. Oh that his Sin would but admit Excuse Which that it cannot doubtless you 'll admit When I have vow'd 't was he which told me it Cleo. Madam You might his words mis-understand Plan. Alas he writ them me with his own Hand Cleo. Oh in what Throne can Sacred Vertue Reign When Such a Prince does Falshood entertain Plan. I know not which for wonder is more â—…t Th' Offence he did or my out-living it But though no usage ever was so ill Yet Cleorin I fear I Love him still For when I saw him at the Mask to night From him I could not take away my sight Blushes and Sighs each other did pursue Too certain Signs that what I Fear is True But I 'le no more this guilty task prolong Who can the Offender Love deserves the Wrong Exeunt Enter King John of France and Count Guesclin Guesc. Since all things Sir to ease your Grief are done By the Great Edward and his Greater Son Why shew you now more Sorrow in your Look Then when at Poictiers you were Pris'ner took King Jo. Ah who could think more could by Fate be done Then rob me of my Freedom and my Crown Guesc. You did unworthy of your Fate appear So bravely Sir those Losses you did bear Your Conquerour for a constancy so high Applauded You and blam'd your Destiny Heav'n did to you your Miseries assign Onely to make your Vertues brighter shine King Over my Sorrows I could still command Were I but Fortunes malice to withstand She could my Hands but as a Pris'ner bind But now I am a Captive of the Mind At Poictiers I by Force did lose the Field But here alas I willingly do Yield Gues I cannot Sir believe so ill of you As that you blame what willingly you do How can you bear the worst of Fortunes blows Yet sink with what you on your self impose King This Generous Prince doubly does me subdue By force of Armes and force of Friendship too I must lament what he hath done for me Since now 't is Sin to hate my Enemy Guesc. Blame not your Fortune but your self Comâ—…end For making a Brave Foe a Braver Friend King He by my Ruine makes his Glory rise Then by my Friendship from Revenge he ties Oh do not blame me if I feel Remorse When I 'me subdu'd by Kindness as by Force Guesc. Your Friendship for him Sir was never sound If such effects of it your Soul does wound Ah let him never Sir my King subdue Both by his Fortune and his Vertue too Your Honour is so Firm and so sublime 'T were Sin to think you Guilty of that Crime 'T is something else which does your Grief Inspire After what you would hide I 'le not inquire King Ah Friend I grant 't is something else indeed Yet from his Friendship does my Grief proceed For at the Mask King Edward made for me The Bright Plantagenet I there did see And soon my Heart a Passion did admit Vast as those Beauties which created it Such Features Colours Motions and such Eyes With
his Knowledge to Declare And what he Sayes I hope you will Believe King Ed. To what he speaks I still will Credit give Dela I should be too Unworthy of this Trust Should I abuse a King so Great and Just When to the Warrs of Aquitaine I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Who in a Charge did such deep Wounds receive As finding that he had not long to Live A Messenger in hast for me he sent As soon as e'r I came into his Tent He told me Something on his Heart did lye Which griev'd him more then he was Griev'd to Dye Then in my Hand he did this Letter lay And in a Sigh his Soul did fly away Prin. When you have heard it Read it will Afford Proof of her Vertue King Ed. Read it then my Lord. The Earl of KENT to the Lord DELAVVARE MY Death forces me to discover by what Arts I obtained from the Prince of Wales the faire Plantagenet Before He ador'd her I did and as soon as he fell in Love not knowing mine he made me his Confident but the King being against the match the Prince the better to cloud his reall passion for Plantagenet seem'd to have one for the fair Aurelia but still trusted me with the Superscription Cypher and Seale which he used when he writ to my Plantagenet and I had the fatal employment of carrying all their Letters At length the Glory the Prince wonn at Cressy joyn'd with his grief for the King's denyal conquer'd his Father and the Day was appointed for his marrying Plantagenet which if not prevented I found would be the Day of my Death This I imparted to my Mother who had no small ascendant over Plantagenet and by my Mothers advice I got the Prince to write a Letter to Aurelia whom I seem'd to be passionatly in Love with wherein he beg'd her pardon for having counterfeited a Love to her when his was otherwise disposed of but to repair it he earnestly recommended me to her affection as most worthy of it This Letter I seal'd and superscribed with the Cypher the Prince alwayes made use of to Plantagenet Prince's passion for Aurelia that this letter being delivered to Plantagenet Prince's Prince's inconstancie that in the dictates of those resentments she gave her self to me whereunto my Mothers Friendship with her did highly contribute The Prince in despair undertakes the war with France and I soon after disguised to all but you follow'd him in hope by some great action to wash off the Guilt my Love forced me to contract but here I met my Death Tell them all this and that I hope their hatred to me will be buried in my Grave Dela This Letter till this day I have conceal'd For Causes Sir unfit to be Reveal'd Prin. I hope you find in what he did relate She was not Guilty but Unfortunate King Ed. I must confess these Arts which Kent did use Doe her forsaking you too much Excuse Prin. Since this has wash'd off her imagin'd Stain Give me your leave to love her Sir again King Ed. I would not have defam'd her but I see To cure his Love there 's but that Remedy No Prince the Sin she did last night Commit Makes her for ever for your Love unfit Prin. Oh Heaven must I endure a new Assault Tell me I beg you Sir this Fansied Fault For she is of such an unblemish'd Fame As I can give it well no better Name But Sir to try me this perhaps is done King Ed. I doe not use to trifle with my Son And I beleive you I credit what I said When I my self found hid within her Bed A Lovely Youth who since is dumb with Fear My Lord bring instantly that Pris'ner here to Latimer Exit Latimer Prince Though I my self what you have said should see Yet I would think my Eyes were False not She. King Ed Since to your Witness I did credit give Methinks what I have said You should Believe Prin. Forgive me if her Vertue and my Love Forc'd me to speak what may your Anger move Fate never man to such a streight did bring I must offend my Mistress or my King Esteem her Guilty or not Credit you That Sir I cannot this I Dare not Doe Enter Latimer and Valeria's Brother King Io. Valeria's Brother Love is just I see Since he Revenges my inconstancy And makes him punish his fair Sister 's wrong King Ed. If still thy Fear has not ty'd up thy Tongue Discover to the King and to my Son How thou by Charmes Plantagenet hast won I found thee in her Bed there 's no Excuse Valer. Broth. Sir that 's a place which few men would refuse Enter Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and all the Women Shall not one moment stay thy Destiny Plan. The Words and Anger of the King are High Alizia Sir and I but now did hear That with this Gentleman you Angry were We come to beg you to forgive his Crime King Ed. Of all the World you should not plead for Him For you by it so Great a Guilt do show As I had rather but suspect then know Plan. I know not what you mean by what you said King Ed. You know not too you hid him in your Bed Plan. Who could to you that Secret Sir declare Kig Io. Oh Heaven does she Confess then he was there Val. Bro That Sir I hope is no Offence to you do King Io. False Youth to me what worse Wrong could'st thou Val Bro. I thought my Sister had your Heart possest King Io. But did'st thou not from her to me protest She bid thee help me if I ere should be In Love with any one more Fair then She Val. Bro. And doe you Sir confess that you are so King Io. Those Charming Eyes must every Heart ore'throw Val. Bro. This Guilt in you will cause her Death I fear King Io. Thy Guilt to me is more then mine to her What do'st thou aile thou tremblest and lookst pale Val. Admire not Grief does or ' my soul prevail When to Valeria's self such Words you said taking off her Disguise As Sir does make her wish that she were Dead But though she 's killd by your Inconstancy Yet in your Armes she begs your leave to Dye she faints Plantagenet holds her up Plan. She faints Ah Sir that Guilty Change in you King Io. Oh Madam blame not what you made me doe Plan. Sir 't is not Just to charge your Fault on me King Ed. Is it Valeria then King Io. Yes Yes 't is she Her Broth'rs face so much resembles hers As I deluded by the clothes she wears Did to her self my Change in Love avow Prince The Clouds of my Despair do vanish now And Charming Hopes in me begin to Reign Plan. Give her more Air for now she Breaths again Valeria is set in a Chair King Ed. Oh I the fair Plantagenet did wrong Prince The Proofs that she is Guiltless are so strong As I now
by Blood the Crown obtain Yet a Crown worn doth wash off every Stain Stra When Heaven admits a Tyrant to a Throne 'T is but from Vaster Heights â—…o cast him down To doe it whil'st hee 's climbing would appear A less Revenge then being seated there And since such Guilt does most the Gods incense The â—…unishment should equall the Offence Cleo. Since he while Wicked in the Throne has â—…ood The Gods will not depose him now hee 's Good His past Offences he does much deplore Stra. Thaâ—… for their Vengeance ripens him the more For men might think were not quick Justice done Repentance Usurpation might atone Cleo. Ah Sister those to whom the Gods allow Repentance with it give their Pardon too Stra But those who to destroy their Kings consent Heaven lets them never perfectly Repent But leaves them quite when they so Wicked bee Their Sorrow is but their Hypocrisy Cleo. Let not your Vertue Judge against your Sight Nor limit Mercy which is Infinite But since a Crown is still the gift of Heaven What matter is it by what Hand 't is given Stra. When by a Tyrants Hand a Crown is given How can you think that Crown the Gift of Heaven Cleo. Since Tryphon's in the Throne what Syrian dare Without a Crime dispute how he came there Stra Rather what Syrian who dares Vertue own Thinks not hee 's bound to cast him from the Throne My Father great Nicanor I dare say Thinks this a Duty which he ought to Pay You from this Duty may his hand restrain If you wâ—…h Tryphon in one Throne should Reign Cleo. Usurpers who inforc'd their Crimes forsake Toâ—… all past Crimes full sati faction make If I by Love continue Tryphon Good Nicanor ought not then to shed his Blood If he relapse he by his Death may prove His Countrey he more then his Son does love Syria to us what ' ere Tryphon shall doe Either his Change or her Revenge shall owe. Stra. Ah think not Love the softest thing that is Can dwell in such a Cruel Heart as his Cleo. Rather believe since Love has him Inflam'd His Heart from Cruelty is now reclaim'd Stra. Since by such Guilt he in the Throne does sit Rather believe his Vertue Counterfeit Cleo. 'T is the least Miracle which Love can doe To change dissembled Vertue into true Stra. Ah Cleopatra this discourse has shown You 'l lose your Happiness to gain his Throne For I was now in brave Aretus name To have disclos'd to you his hidden Flame A Flame so High and so Respectfull too As it appear'd worthy of him and you Oh had you seen the Fear in which he spoke When he my help did in his Love invoke It would have you as well as me it mov'd That Fear had let you see how much he Lov'd Cleo. Aretus ought to blush that durst appear At once my Lover and admit a Fear Stra. He of that Fear rather then blush should boast Since Flames which highest rise still tremble most Cleo. Sure my dear Stratonice this is but said Me from the Love of Tryphon to diswade For did Aretus Burn to such degree He would have first disclos'd his flame to me Draw not from what his High Respect does prove An argument that he is not in Love Her I have observ'd so has Irene too Of late Aretus often gaz'd on you And when by chance your Eyes on him were turnd He with a Sigh would seem to say he burn'd Irene I must acknowledge Madam I admire That you did ne'r take notice of his Fire Hermione and I have often said Never more Love in any Looks were read Cleo. T is haypy for him that he ne'r did dare Himself to me his Passion to declare For if he had been Guilty of that Crime T would have supprest th' Esteem I have for him Stra. His Vertue the Esteem of all does move But is there nothing due unto his Love Cleo. Yes yes my Pitty while it is conceal'd But hate when 't is by him to me reveal'd Stra. You more then he should this Resolve deplore Cleo. Press me dear Stratonice in this no more Tryphons Addresse has so Succesfull been As he has now my Word to be his Queen Stra. Ah such as have to Thrones of Tyrants rose Have bin the more expos'd to Fortunes blowes Cleo. She does not merit on a Throne to sit Who can fear ought more then to miss of it Exeunt THE SECOND ACT. The SCENE the Palace Garden Demetrius and Aretus as in discourse Dem. BUt for his interrupting of us you Had then known all which I have told you now Methinks you seem amaz'd at what I said Are. Alas your Words have struck me worse then Dead Fortune no Curse so bad as this could send Made sharper too since acted by my Freind Dem. How could I think that you concern'd had been In Cleopatra's being Tryphon's Queen Are. I am so much concern'd in it that I Rather then see her Tryphon's Wife wou'd Dye Dem. Doe you then love her Are. Love 's too low a name For that which does Aretus heart Inflame For never any Fire resembled mine But that Bright Fire which in her Eyes does shine Dem. Was 't fit this Love from me conceal'd should be Are. Alas 't was till last night unknown to me Something I felt of late had Charm'd me so As did at once Please and Subject me too But those Emotions were so farr above All that the world has ever known of Love As that 't was Love no more by them I knew Then I can now describe that Love to you 'T was fit that Eyes that shoot unusuall Rayes Should kindle Fires too in unusuall wayes Dem. I am not Guilty though my self I Blame But Sure you might suppress so young a Flame Your Freind from no small Trouble it would free Are. Ah 'twere not Love did it depend on me Those Guilty Words therefore you should recall Love does not take but gives the Law to all Would you not think me cruell or unwise Should I beg you not to love Stratonice Dem. I durst not aske that you 'de your Love decline If it had took so deep a root as mine Are. Nothing can fix a Love to such degree As Cleopatra's Eyes have done in me Dem. You have not yet your Conquerors Favour gaind But I my Stratonice's have obtain'd That Secret's only trusted to your breast Are. And there in silence it shall ever rest But oâ—… in what you say you have not prov'd That I love less than you but less am lov'd Success may raise my Joys but not my Flame The World for Love like mine does want a Name Dem. Ah my Aretus had I known before That you fair Cleopatra 〈◊〉 Adore I had prevented those sâ—… streights â—…e're in And hindred Tryphon couâ—…ting her for Queen Now there 's no cure for a disease so high Are. Yes but there is Dem. what is 't Are. Tryphon shall dye On two accompts his death to
strong A Family like ours he durst not wrong Nic. Who dares in Royall Blood his hands imbrue What is it after which he dares not doe Nor can â—…e think his leaving her a Crime Since 't is what we so much desire of him Stra. Though 't is what we most wish yet Sir you know Since none of us will tell him that 't is so 'T will as a Wrong on us to him appear And therefore to perform it he will fear For though Antiochus's Blood he spilt Yet in a Crown he did contract that Guilt And by the Wicked nothing can be known Of too High Price when 't is to buy a Throne They will Do All that they in one may Sit But Suffer All rather then hazard it Nic. Yet since Demetrius takes of it the caâ—…e I of a good Event would not despair Stra. I fear th' Usurper will his Sute deny Nic. Let 's not afflict our selves by Prophesy Are. The Wrath of Heaven must needs that man pursue Who tyrannizes Men and Beauty too Stra. But though the Punishments from Heaven we know Are alwayes Just yet they are often Slow Are. When e'r a Subject does Usurpe a State Any Brave Man has Right to act his Fate The Gods make every Man a Judge of him Who against every Man commits a Crime And Heav'n permitted him to act this last T' invite us to Revenge all that is past What more to merit Death could Tryphon do Then to offend the Crown and Beauty too Nic He whom the Gods into the Throne doe call Should therefore only by their Justice fall Arâ—… Heaven's Justice Monarchs only should dethrone But Tyrants they abandon to our own The Râ—…ght they give us we too much abuse Hoping they 'll Act what we ourselves refuse The Pow'rs Divine we injure while we thus Remit to them what they have left to us Nic. Yet he 's to blame who does to Death pursue That Man to whom the Name of King is due Arâ—… But him with greater Justice we should blame Who as his due usurps that Sacred Name Since he our lawfull Monarch's Blood has spilt Who e'r revenges not contracts the Guilt Nic. If Tryphon by a Private Hand does fall That Hand wrongs him as much as he wrong'd all Th' Affronts which are on a whole Nation laid By that whole Nation ought to be repay'd It should not by a Single Hand be done Ar. What 's due from All is due from Every one And since the Syrians doe decline to Pay That Righteous Debt I that am willing may Nic. Doe you their Toughts by Silence understand Ar. Their Silence in this case is their Comand Who is it at his Reign does not repine That to gain Pow'r kill'd all the Royal Line Such Usurpation every one does fright Nic. Where none can Claim Possession is a Right Ar All have more Right since he those Crimes has done To Tryphon's Life then he has to the Crown 〈◊〉 Cleopatra Danger calls on us To â—…ee her and revenge Antiochus 'T were Sin if longer we the Crimes withstood Of Injur'd Beauty and of Guiltless Blood Nic. Suspend this Generous Anger till we know What in her Cause Demetrius can doe Ar. But if Demetrius Sir should not prevail Nic. I then will find a way which shall not fail Ar. May you not Sir discover it to me Nic. Not till th' Event of this Design I see Then I engage if he successles prove I 'l free my Daughter from th' Usurpers Love Be pleass'd Sir to depend on what I say Ar. What you Command 't is fit I should Obey They goe out Enter Tryphon Demetrius and Seleucus The SCENE Tryphon's Apartment Try Though many Proofs you gave that you 'r my Friend Yet this last Proof does all the rest transcend For you in this have evidently shown That you are more my Friend then you 'r your own Never was any Torment yet above That in which Friendship does contest with Love But what you now have done has cur'd my Pain Sel. When of your Fate you did to me complain I told you from Demetrius you would find A Cure for all th' Afflictions of your Mind Try You did I of his Friendship judg'd amiss I fear'd t was not what now I find it is But yet I cannot say that I am more His Friend since this then I was heretofore My Kindness for you to such Height was grown As it could not admit Accession Embracing Demetrius Dem. Ah Sir those Words which now were spoke by you O're pay all I have done or e're can do Yet I may say and not Presumptious be Some Reparation Sir was due to me Since you could doubt I valu'd any thing Above the Blessing Sir to serve my King Try That Error to repair I 'le now employ Only your self to place me in my Joy By such Fair Eyes my Heart has been surpriz'd As I adore that Passion I despis'd I who till now Loves Votaries did blame Find him a God I thought was but a Name This Heart which has been bred in War and Blood And all Death's Horrors dauntlesly withstood Charm'd by Loves Magick trembles with such Fear As I her Conquest dare not tell to her Which showes that in her Bright Triumphant Eyes A Fate more to be fear'd then Dying lyes Your Help my Dear Demetrius I must Seek To tell her what to her I dare not speak Dem. Whatever you Command I must Obey Yet pardon me if I presume to say How can she think you to her Eyes submit If you your self Sir will not tell her it Try Ah in this answer I your Fear perceive That I 'l repeat that Fault you did forgive No my first Love was but a Love of State But this Love is as much my Choice as Fate She with so strange a Fire my Breast does fill As I to quench it want the Pow'r and Will Dem. Permit me then th' Imployment to decline For since her Beauties with such Lustre Shine They may wound me for 't is a likelier thing She should subdue a Subject then a King Try I know your Friendship which you have for me Against her Eyes your Antidote will be Dem. Yet Vassals Sir and Monarchs are alike When e'r the Dart of Love or Death does strike Try Let not such Fear your Sacred Friendship blot Why should you doubt it when I doubt it not But to confirm you know you oft have seen Her whom I 'd have you court to be my Queen And since to her Bright Eyes you did not bow Ere I ador'd them you 'l not doe it now For my Demetrius t is her Beauties Right That who can Love must Love her at first Sight Nor shall I think if you th' Imployment wave You have forgiv'n me as you said you have Dem. Ah then Sir 't is unfit I struggle more Tell me that Beauties name which you adore And all her Charmes to serve you I 'l despise This Sir I vow Try Her name is Stratonice Demetrius
to pardon and make blest your Friend But if your Being to your Love you tye Then there 's no doubt Demetrius Sir must Dye Try But if my Love while guiltless was deny'd I doubt when in her Lovers Blood t is dy'd That Cruelty may more her Hatred move Sel. Yet 't is a Crueâ—…y produc'd by Love When by your Pow'r you make her be your Wife And when your Mercy spares her Fathers Life Both those joyn'd with the Charming Name of Queen Over her Hate the Victory may win But if when she 's you Wife her Hate endures The Trouble Sir will be more hers then yours Try But since when but to fright her I did say That I Nicanor's Life would take away She told me to her Death she too would fly I feare if I should make her Lover Dye She in dispair to her own Death would run Sel. Killing one's self is sooner said then done But if to him that Proof of Love shee 'd give Think not shee 'l marry you while he does live Try Ha! what thou say'st admits of noe reply And does on Love bestow the Victory Those Words have torn Demetrius from my Mind And for his Death the Orders they have sign'd He and Aretus instantly shall Dye Prepare the Guards with speed and secrecy Thy Care of me has made me judge it fitt To thee this Execution to commit They goe out severall wayes The SCENE of Nicanor's Pallace opens Nicanor Aretus Demetrius Cleopatra and Stratonice both weeping Stra. Yes Sir I scorn'd his Love and Anger too Till he with speedy Death did threaten you My Constancy he then did more than fright Yet I conceal'd my Terrors from his fight But Sir my Eyes as soon as he was goue Wept as my Heart while he was here had done For if to morrow night I 'm not his Wife He has declar'd hee 'll take away your Life Nic. I 'l rather to his Rage submit my Head Than yield that you should such a Tyrant wed I 'l sooner Die then I 'l that Union see Such Hate I have for him such Love for thee Are. to Cleo. From your Fair eyes those Tears you ought to wipe This Crime for Heavens Revenge makes Tryphon ripe So ripe that through his Guards along I 'l goe To pay that Death which to his Guilt we owe The Danger does less then the Duty seem I 'l dry your Tears or strive to merit them Dem. to Stra. I thought by Loue he would your heart have won And therefore I did yield to be undone But since to this vile way he hath recourse 'T is just to end such Tyranny by Force I 'l now with much less Grâ—…f his Death pursue Then I resign'd to him my claim to you Ar. Since we to kill the Tyrant are agreed I see the Gods his Ruine have decreed Nic. Though that is just which is designed by you Yet Just things we should doe as Wise men doe Seleucus who th' Usurpers Guards commands When this new Tyranny he understands To join with us I hope may soon be won Cleo. I dare assure you 't is already done Nic. Already done by whom Cleo. t is done by me His Hate to Tryphon and his Tyranny Is such as I am sure in this Designe He will with you when you desire it joyn Are. Whoever does â—…o Virtue but pretend To what we have resolv'd must be a Friend Enter Irene hastily Ire I on your privacies would not intâ—…ude Did not my duty force me to be 〈◊〉 Some of the Servants from the Garden call To tell you many soldiers scale the Wall Aâ—…n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fight they every one appeare And all of them do Iryphon's Livery weare Hermione running in Herm. Seleucus is into your Pallace come And does wâ—… Tryphon's Guards fill every Room Nica. What may this Meane Her My Eyes are much mistooke If Rage and Horror dwels not in his Look Seleu Yeild up your Swords in vain you 'l fight or fly Aret. Betray'd then let us acting our Revenges die Seleucus forces open the doores he runs in with several of the guards Nâ—…canor Aretus and Demetrius draw their Swords but ere they â—…an make use of them are opprest by Number and are disarm'd Seleucus bâ—…kons to the Guards to retire while they are going out Seleucus sayes Secure the Pallace Guards if you Admit Any â—…escape your Lives shall pay for it These orders read will let you understand That what I doe is by my Kings command You are my Prisoners all Aretus you Must bear the Fate which to your Sin is due For you the Murther of the King did plot he gives the orders to Nicanor Aret. I Merit Death because I kill'd him not Seleu. Demetrius too the like hard Fate must prove He does not only Rival Tryphon's Love But knew Aretus did his Death intend And yet Conceal'd it to preserve his Friend Deme. Perfidious man the Tyrant could not be Told that he was my Rival but by thee Seleu. Madam the King in hope that you 'l receive His Love does yet Nicanor's Life reprieve Nica. Since these two generous Friends are doom'd to Die Sparing of me is but his Cruelty Stra. Who would the loss of so much Worâ—…h survive Or by A Tyrant's Mercy who would Live Death is then either Welcomer to me Seleu. to Cleo. Here Prostrate Madam at your Feet you see One who long since has paid to you his Heart And who by Love is forc'd to act this part For when I came to tell you of the Fire Which your Bright Eyes did in my Soul inspire And that it might more acceptable be Did offer to revenge your injury You e'r I could make you my great Request Told me Aretus Raign'd within your Breast Ah! When I found that he was Monarch there I did Compell'd by Love and by Dispair Discover all to Tryphon with Design Helping his Love to make him further mine This Madam you may Look on as my Sin But what you think my Guilt I Glory in For what more fully could my Passion prove Then sacrificing of my Friends to Love Aro Since Love makes no man Cruel or Unjust That which thou call'st thy Love is but thy Lust. Cleo. Seleucus I have Listned unto you At once with Horror and with Pitty too Horror that you this Falshood could Commit Pitty that Love seduc'd you into it Ah! to my Love what wrong could be so high As thinking 't would be woon by Treachery No No though my affection for you were Such as for me you would have yours appear Yet Honor which of all things most I rate Would by this Falshood turn that Love to Hare And could I be obtain'd by what you doe That Crime would soon worke the like Change in you Oh doe not think that Love can ere be built On such a false foundation as your Guilt Seleu. In my sad loss what could I else have done To me you 'r lost or this way must be wonne Cleo. This way be Won Oh
So many heaps of Frenchmen there were slain As into Hills they seem'd to change the Plain And all those Clouds their Horses feet had rais'd Were with the Blood of their dead Riders laid Two Lords arm'd like King Iohn were in the Field And by our Princes hand they both were kill'd In doing which he did prodigious things For though they were Not yet they fought like Kings While in the Field wars bloody Game was plaid Guesclin did sally and was Prisoner made King In your Relation you omit one thing I fain would hear 't is how you took the King Dela Sir In the heat of Battel 't was my chance To fight with and to take King Iohn of France 'T was Fortune onely favour'd me in this King Your Modesty great as your Valour is For here my Soâ—… to me at large does write The Honour which you purchas'd in the Fight And all those brave Attempts which you did make Before your Regal Prisoner you did take Nothing which you perform'd from me is hid Dela He writes what I 'de have Done not what I Did When the French King into my pow'r did fall I did conduct him to our General Who then was giving of Rewards to those Who took two hundred Colours from your Foes Amidst those Glorious Trophies Sir he stood His Armour cover'd all with dust and blood Those sights afresh the Captive King did wound King None in a Nobler Posture could be found Dela When to the Prince I nam'd King Iohn of France He hastily to meet him did advance And to his Prisoner did as humbly bow As Sir he could have done had it been You. King He did therein what did a Prince befit Fierce in the Fight and Humble after it Dela The King then said since Fortune does decree I should be taken by my Enemy Part of the wounds she gives she also cures Since now I fall into such hands as Yours I am your Prisoner Sir and come to know The end you aim at by my being so The Prince in whom all Vertues do reside Pitying the Kings misfortune thus reply'd That mighty Prince to which I most pretend Is from an Enemy you 'll turn a Friend And if you 'll grant what now is begg'd by me I 'le prize it more then this dayes Victory These words the Prince with such an Accent grac'd As by the King he closely was embrac'd Who told him in this Action you have shown You have more ways to Conquer me then one And Sir to prove this does my Mind subdue That which you ask of Me I beg of You. King This last Success transcends the other Three 'T is more to Gain then Beat an Enemy Dela All things to tell you too much time would take But then so strict a Friendship they did make As Our Prince vow'd he would sollicit you To grant the King a Peace and Freedom too Then by a Generosity Sublime He did that night at sopper wait on Him By which that Vanquish'd Monarch well might boast He there Receiv'd more Honour then he Lost. King My Son in this did such High Worth express As I more value It then his Sccess Dela The List of all â—…hose 〈◊〉 which we took Are by the Prince presented in this Book Gives the King a Book All things secur'd which we had won by force He with King Iohn for England steer'd his course The wind so favour'd him as yesterday He safely landed in Southampton-Bay From whence he sent me Post to let you know They both tomorrow Sir will wait on you King For their Reception every thing prepare Which may your joys and your Respects declare I 'le treat this Royal Pris'ner at a rate Proportion'd to his Title not his Fate My Actions not my Words shall let you see How much brave Youth You are esteem'd by Me. Exeunt The Scene is a Garden and a Grotta in which Alizia Peirce lies as in a slumber Enter Sevina who playes upon the Lute when she has done Alizia rises embraces her and sayes Aliz. Ah my dear Friend it is in vain you strive To give that Ease which onely Death can give Sev. This is the day you promis'd I should know That Fatal Sorrow under which You bow I thought the Charms of Musick might abate The Grief which springs from what you will relate Aliz. Too mean a thought you of my Grief admit In thinking any thing can Lessen it Who would not all delights of Life decline That had a Soul so out of Tune as Mine Sev. Do not from such a Friend your self refrain My Help may put your Soul in Tune again 'T is to your Promise Madam that I trust Let not your Sorrow make you prove Unjust If Grief should make you to such Wrong submit You will Deserve as well as Suffer it Eliz. My Fatal Promise why do you pursue Though Old Griefs when related turn to New Yet you no longer shall of me complain I 'le rather Heighten then Deserve my Pain You know Dear Friend when to this Court I came My Eyes did all our bravest youths Inflame And in that happy state I liv'd a while When Fortune did betray me with a smile Or rather Love against my Peace did fight And to revenge his Power which I did ssight Made Edward our Victorious Monarch be One of those Many who did Sigh for Me. All other Flames but His I did deride They rather made my Trouble than my Pride But this when told me made me quickly know Love is a God to which all Hearts must bow Sev. 'T is certain every Creature that hath Breath Is no more priviledg'd from Love than Death Think you what is your Duty is your Crime Or else do you repent you Conquer'd Him Aliz. Oh had you heard in what a Mourning way He the first time his Passion did display And had you seen that Grief and matchless Grace Which did at once Cloud and Adorn his Face You had admir'd such Differing Charmes to see But more admir'd had they not Conquer'd Me. Sev. I was your Confident in that Bright Fire Which Both did in each others breast Inspire A Fire might teach all Lovers how to Burn Then sure 't is something else which makes you Mourn Aliz. Oh if he had been still to that Bright Flame As Faithful and as Constant as I am Justice her self no Fire could higher prize But that Blest Fire in which the Martyr Dies But he is False Sev. If what you say were true Madam my Friendship must have seen it too 'T is Jealousie which has usurp'd Love's place Aliz. Love has more piercing eyes then Friendship has From the Suns sight you may the World remove Sooner than hide from Lovers change in Love His Glorious Flame from me in Clouds is set And he Adores the fair Plantagenet To that Bright Widow he his Heart does yield Sev. Alas since her Brave Lord in France was kill'd She onely doth the Pow'r of Grief obey Aliz. How soon does Love wipe
there is but one degree you know 'Twixt doubting I am false and thinking so Aliz. To you no clearer Proof Sir I can give I think you are not false then that I live For did I doubt you guilty of that wrong My death should tell it you and not my tongue King The pow'r of Kindness Madam you confound Making your Love the Sword with which you wound If from this day my Ruine you will date Then by some other Weapon act my fate Your Anger Misery enough does prove Without ascribing of it to your Love 'T were better far I fell by your Disdain Then have your Love my blessing turn to Pain Aliz. What I have said too warmly you pursue King How can you love him whom you think untrue Admire not what you said so much does move Since if you think me false I lose your love Against such groundless Fear there 's no defence Aliz. Love feels no greater Torment then Suspense Since she who truly Loves had rather know Her Lover false than always think him so For 't is an ill more sensible and high To Live tormented still then 't is to Die But you may end those Torments I deplore If you will never see my Rival more King This is a Remedy severe and new Rudeness to her must Kindness be to you And of my Love can you no proof admit But what will make me for your Love unfit Aliz. Ah were I Blest or Curst to such degree As that you thought some other lov'd by Me I would for ever from his sight be gone And would in your contentment find my own Were your Affections but for me as great Then you no more would see Plantagenet King She is the nearest Kinswoman I have Her Lord too in my Service found his Grave Nature and Honour these respects approve And make that Duty which you doubt is Love Aliz. Alas were you not chang'd you would not be Civil to her rather than kind to me King Will this your Fatal Jealousie remove I swear I never spake to her of Love Aliz. Love is not alwayes by Discourse made known It may be spoken in a Look or Groan Some in those wayes more Passion can dispense Then others by the Charms of Eloquence Your Oath I fear is dictated by Art Your Tongue is innocent but not your Heart King This Madam too much your unkindness shows You neither will believe my Love nor Vows Aliz. Do not admire my Doubts and Fears are high When you that easie cure of them deny I saw you gaze on her much more then you Did gaze on me when I did know you true Which to my Torment Sir does let me see You lov'd Me not or lov'd Her more then Me Man's Art to such a height could never rise As love from a true Lover to disguise Oh Sir it is high time I let you know Though Love is blind yet Lovers are not so King He never yet the height of Love has known Who onely found it in a Look or Groan When I to you that Passion did express Which Madam onely with my Life shall cease Though many Looks and Sighs to you I sent Yet by Discourse too I did give it vent If through all passages it does not press It soon will kill the heart it does possess Love is so vast a Passion as the breast Is much too small to hold so great a Guest Aliz. Great Love is like great Grief and all Sir hold That Grief is weak or small which can be told Enter Lord Latymer who whispers to the King King Madam A pressing business calls me now Be therefore satisfied with this strict Vow My carriage to Plantagenet shall be Such as shall make you grant you 've injur'd me Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Aliz. Now my Sevina think you not that I Had a sufficient ground for Jealousie Sev. Madam you had but give me leave to say You to suppress it took a hopeless way Aliz. To what way else could I have had recourse Sev. A Lover never was brought back by force But since he raises Jealousie in you Madam resolve to make him Jealous too You by a double Right must gain his Heart First own it to your Beauty then your Art Love is like Health which all men value most Not while it is possest but when 't is lost Aliz. I 'le rather bear Misfortunes worst Assault Then own my blessing to a seeming Fault If what you now propose I should approve Virtue would blush at my Success in Love Honour alone shall guide my Actions still Rather than I will do I 'le suffer Ill My Rival nor the King shall ever say To gain my Right I took a guilty way She has the Happier I the Nobler part She may Possess but I Deserve his Heart Exeunt The end of the first Act. The Curtain fals THE SECOND ACT. The First SCENE The Curtain being drawn up King Edward the Third King Iohn of France and the Prince of Wales appear seated on one side of the Theater waited on by the Count of Guesclin the Lord Latymer the Lord Delaware and other Lords with the King's Guards On the other side of the Theater are seated Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and other Ladies The Scene opens two Scenes of Clouds appear the one within the other in the hollow of each Cloud are Women and men richly apparell'd who sing in Dialogue and Chorus as the Clouds descend to the Stage then the Women and Men enter upon the Theater and dance afterwards return into the Clouds which insensibly rise all of them singing until the Clouds are ascended to their full height then onely the Scene of the Kings magnificent Palace does appear all the Company arise King Ed. SInce you are Pris'ner by the fate of War I shall not onely make it Sir my Care Your Grief by such diversions to allay But quickly too to take their Cause away Two pow'rful Motives me to this perswade The Friendship Sir you with my Son have made And that rare Fortitude which you have shown In Poictiers Field and after it was won King Jo. Sir Of that Fatal place I 'le not complain Since 〈◊〉 in it his Friendship did obtain Which I so prize as I 'de the loss repeat Rather then miss a happiness so great Embracing the Prince Prince As much as Virtue Fortune does out-shine So much your Victory surpasses mine A treaty will my bonds on you untie But yours on me will last eternally King Ed. That Treaty we to morrow will begin And you shall find I 'le so proceed therein As you and all the world Sir shall confess Justice shall guide me in it not Success Doubt not but what I promise shall be done T is what I ow my Honour and my Son King Jo. Thus using your Success the world will see How justly you deserve your Victory Force in rough Fetters may the Body bind But onely Friendship Captivates the Mind King Ed. It is already Sir
Blood then shed a Tear But those true Show'rs wept by the Prince of Wales To judge him Innocent with me prevails Aliz. This does but shew the King what he should Do He need but Weep to be judg'd Guiltless too Or if yet Guilty held with little Pain A Lovers Tears will wash off any Stain Plan. Though your not Crediting what I have spoke My just Resentment does too much provoke Yet that you may my Friendship clearly see Evâ—…n while you shew that you have none for me Since what I said has not prevail'd with you I will Convince you by this Solemn Vow I swear the King nor any e're to me Mention'd that Love which makes your Jealousie And should he e're for me a Passion have Rather than wed the King I 'le wed my Grave These Vows your Friendship should to me restore Sev. You cannot Ask nor can she Promise more Cleo. Such Vowes as these should your Belief perswade And Friendship thus Renew'd is Stronger made Aliz. Ah Madam now my Trouble is more high Then it was lately by my Jealousie You could impose no Penance so Sublime As thus to Shew me and Forgive my Crime What ends one Pain a greater does begin Since all my Grief for your imagin'd Sin Did not so much my wounded Mind Subdue As does the Grief of having Injur'd you Yet who can wonder that I Jealous grew Of so much Beauty and such Vertue too The Perfectness of both you now have shown The Last has pardon'd what the First has done Plan. If what I did might to Reward pretend You give the greatest being still my Friend Embraces her Aliz. And may I be depriv'd of Life and Fame When e're again I lose that Glorious Name Exeunt Enter King Edward and Lord Latymer as in Discourse Laty. To me th' assurance she did twice repeat King What! that my Son Adores Plantagenet Laty. And with a Passion Sir that does appear More fierce then that which he first paid to her King Ah can he be so mean to Love again One who his former Passion did Disdain One who was Guilty of so strange a Crime As to give Kent that Heart she Promis'd him And that her Scorn she might the more Display Wedded a Rival on his wedding day At least that day which was for him design'd Laty. Love never was to Reasons Rules confin'd For 't is a Passion Sir which onely knows Such Laws as on it self it will Impose King But Honour should oblige him to Abhor One by whose Guilt he was Betray'd before Laty. A Lover thinks that no Dishonour lies In twice submitting to his Mistress Eyes We soon may Love and Fortune reconcile When either of them after Frowning Smile King Oh Latymer the News thou dost impart Does with a Double wound afflict my Heart First that my Son by such a Love should dare To blast those Glories he has won in War Then that his Flames should be to her Address'd Without whose Love I never can be Blest Laty. starts Why dost thou start is it so strange a thing That so much Beauty should Subdue thy King Rather admire I did not sooner bow To such Bright Eyes then that I do it now The Greatest Men that e're the World did Grace Have still allow'd to Love the Highest Place Caesar who gained many a Glorious Field Yet did to Cleopatra's Beauties yield Laty. Had he not won many a Glorious Field That Love had been but as his Weakness held His Conquests make us think his Soul Sublime And many Victories Excuse one Crime King Whatever in my Love is judg'd amiss I 'le expiate by Actions Great as his Laty. But how Sir can you well Condemn your Son For Doing that which by your self is Done Since both of you Purpose the same Design King His Case my Lord does differ much from mine For though we both Plantagenet Adore Yet he has been Betray'd by her before The difference is exceeding great you see She has Affronted him but Conquer'd me Love is at worst a Noble Frailty thought But Love when Scorn'd is justly held a Fault Laty. May I be Pardon'd if I speak my heart King what ' ere you think you freely may impart Laty. May not the Prince then Sir as justly say You are more faulty to Alizia You cease to love her in whose Heart you Reign'd And he but loves her who his Love disdain'd He with the best of Loves extreams is curst But you seem guilty of the very worst His Fault is Sir the lesser of the two You too Inconstant are and she too True King O do not wound me by reminding things Which rather Trouble than Repentance brings Laty. The Fault which you Confess will you Pursue Kiâ—…g We should not Sin and yet we dayly do I owe Alizia more then you can say But what I owe her I want pow'r to pay Plantagenet should onely Wonders do She makes my Fault and does excuse it too Enter to them the Prince and Delaware Prince Sir I am come to make you a Request Which if deny'd I never can be Blest 'T is a Request I beg you to Admit And beg your Pardon too for making it King I 'le grant what e're you ask though ne're so great If t does not concern Plantagenet Prin. Sir It relates to her in some degree But it exceeding'y relates to Me. King Then you are come I doubt to ask again My leave that she may twice your Love disdain Since there is nothing else I can believe Unfit for you to Ask or me to Give And yet that Sin Honour should so detest As you should never make it your request Prin. If 't is a Sin to love her Sir I fear That every Man must Sin that Looks on her King Loving of her which is her Beauties Due From any other is a Sin in you Prin. How can it Sir by you be justly thought That what is Mandkinds Duty is my Fault King You know what Scorn she did to you dispence And in such ways as Height'ned the Offence Without the Blemish of that double Stain She had within your Heart deserv'd to Reign Prin. But had not I through those Fierce Tryals run I had not Merited what I had Won King Too far she in those Guilty Tryals went When she abandon'd you to Marry Kent Prin. His Fate is Nobler who Deserves but Fails Then his who Merits not and yet Prevails King But those Fierce Tryals which she us'd you to Makes her Incapable to Merit you For should she love you now 't would be too late The Wrongs of Honour what can expiate Prin. Her Love when e're Conferr'd will Overpay The Affronts of Scorn and Tortures of Delay Against her Beauties 't were the greatest Fault To think her Love can be too dearly bought King Rather that cruell'st Injury she gave Should all your Scorn and all your Hatred have Then do not Hope I ever will allow That by my leave she twice should Injure you Ask all those
Provinces your Sword has Won Ask me to share with you the English Crown And that true Kindness with does me dispose Still to deny you Her would grant you Those Prin. The Empire of the world I should Disdain Unless Plantagenet with me did Reign No Charms would in that Throne to me appear Without I had your leave to place Her there But if you grant me what I now implore I cannot Ask nor can you Give me more King When first her Beauties in your Heart did Reign I had design'd to Marry you in Spain And the consent I of Don Pedro won By which you had Succeeded to his Crown But by affection for you I was led To give you leave Plantagenet to Wed. What Act of greater Kindness could be shown Then yield your Love should lose so fair a Throne You have lost Spain by your first Fatal Flame And by your second you will lose your Fame Those Wreaths which Conquer'd France for you have made By such a Guilty Fire will quickly fade Prin. I doubt not Sir but by my Sword to gain As large a Monarchy as that of Spain Fortune the Valiant may to Thrones prefer But 't is by Sufferings I must Conquer her King Ah Prince since nor your Reason nor your Fame Can cure you of so Criminal a Flame I 'le try if my Commands can make you do What Fame and Reason cannot lead you to I here enjoy you Son by every thing Which binds you to your Father and your King This sinful Love without delay decline Which should your Horror cause as well as mine For if this Passion longer you pursue You 'll lose your Fame your King and Father too Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Prin. Two Ills he offers one he bids me choose I must my Mistress or my Father Loose Why should he strive by Nature to remove The highest bond of Nature that of Love Though Nat'ral 't is t' Obey a Fathers call Yet to love her is much more Natural Since he would have me yield to Natures sway Where she most Rules there I should most Obey Dela Since She your King your Father and your Friend Oppose your Love give to your Love an End Any of them the Conquest ought to Win Then to Oppose all Four will prove a Sin Prin. Ah Delaware the Sin were much more Great Should I now cease to love Plantagenet Then I to kill my self I must needs consent My Love and Life being of like extent Dela Your Passion is Unjust while 't is so Great You pay Loves Score with what is Natures debt If in your Love so prodigal you are With what Sir will you pay your Fathers Care Prin. Ah 't is his Love for her noâ—… care for me Which makes him treat me with such Cruelty Against all Rules of Justice he does go Making himself both Judge and Party too If to Love her who wrong'd me be a Crime The self-same cause makes Love a Fault in him Dela More by a King and Father may be done Then may be by a Subject and a Son Let calmer Thoughts you to your Duty bring Pronounce the names of Father and of King With that Respect which is to either due And yield to those Effects 't will work in you Those Pow'rful Names will then Victorious be Prin. I find in either dwells Divinity For nothing less of Force enough could prove To hinder me to speak to her I Love This is the very utmost I can do And this Heav'n knows will prove my Torment too Dela Silence Sir is but half of what you owe You should suppress your Inclination too Prin. My Inclinations must be let alone For though 't is Mine yet it is not my own Dela Onely to Lovers this Distinction's known How can it Sir be yours and not your own Prin. Subjects who from their King the Pow'r have gâ—… Are still his Subjects though he Rules them not Oh Friend in my Condition there appears Two Motions like to those which Rule the Sphears My Love the Rapid Motion I may call My Duty to my King the Natural Which while it does it's Regular Course obey Loves Rapid Motion hurries it away Exeunt The End of the Third Act. THE FOURTH ACT. The Scene opening King Edward and Lord Latymer appear in a Garden discoursing Lat. SIr 't is past doubt the' Intelligence is true King What the French King the Princes Rival too Lat. And to so great a Height as I believe A period to their Friendship it will give For never any yet could soar above The fierce Resentments of a Rivalls Love King Friendship between them two can hardly be Of so much Strength as Nature is in me Since Love in me does Nature's Force subdue Doubt not in them 't will Conquer Friendship too 'T is the Prerogative of her Bright Eyes For Love of them to breake all other Ties Lat. Is it then just you on the Prince should lay Commands above his Pow'r Sir to obey King Oh Latymer I grant I am to Blame But 't is not Love alone does me Inflame Glory in that I act does bear a part Glory does fire my Mind as Love my Heart Nothing for me seems Worthy to Pursue But what my Son Attempting Fail'd to do Since he to such an Envied Fame does rise Mine will Burn dimme if it Outshine not his Lat. Oh Sir can you who have such Glory won Grow Jealous of the Glory of your Son King He never Glory Lov'd who could Admit Of any thing which might Outrival it From this Resolve nothing can me remove Nature must yield to Glory and to Love Enter King John and the Prince who lock the Chamber-door Lat. Sir I perceive the Prince and the French King Something Important does them hither bring For they are come alone and lock the gate If Sir conceal'd a while you here will wait Perhaps you 'll learn what in their Loves they 'll Do. King That 's a discourse deserves my list'ning to King Edward and Lord Latymer conceal themselves behind the Scene King Io. 'T is such a Secret as shall clearly show The perfect Friendship which to you I owe Since what to tell my self is scarcely fit I to your Secresie shall now commit Prin. Though nothing can to me more Pleasure give Then Proofs Sir of your Frienship to receive Yet among Friends there may such Secrets be As to disclose them were an Injury But you too well the Laws of Friendship know And are too Generous to use me so King Io. That Friend must to himself appear Unjust Who takes as Injuries the Marks of Trust Yet tell me Sir what can that Secret be Which to Reveal would be an Injury Prin. Shoul'd you have brib'd your Guards to set you free 'T would be an Injury to tell it me For I should be what ever I should do False to my King and Father or to you King Io. Could I corrupt or else his Guards deceive I 'de not return to France without his
still a Conquest most prefer Plan. They Tyrants are who to usurp delight King Who has most Bâ—…y has 〈◊〉 Love most right Plan. You wrong your Mistris while my Love you seek And I my Friend in hearing what you speak King To Love another after you are seen A greater wrong Madam in me had been I fully know the great debt which is due To your fair Eyes and to your Vâ—…tues too And it had been below them to have gain'd A Heart in which no Beauty e're has reign'd But mine before had yielded to the Pow'rs Of conquering Charmes which none excel but yours What greater merit can my Passion shew Then thus to leave Alizia to love you This of its vastness is a proof sublime Plan. Ah what you call your Merit is your Crime Since perfect Love in Justice must excel Falshood and her together cannot dwell King That perfect Love is just I grant is true And I prove mine is Just in Loving you Your Eyes which act the Change you so abhor Are my security I 'le change no more Since to the highest Beauty I pretend Blame not if by Degrees I reach that end And as my Love that blessing does pursue So now I find it onely shines in you Enter Alizia and Sevina Aliz. This Duty daily must be paid by me And though 't is late She starts back amaz'd seeing the King Oh Heaven what is 't I see Ah! would these Eyes rather than see this Sight Had been clos'd up by an eternal night King What is it Madam which you thus bâ—…oan Aliz. Can you ask that since you two are alone And at an hour so Guilty as it showes The Falseness of her Friendship and your Vows To me this Sight so vast a Grief does give As makes me wish rather to Die than Live King And Madam 't is some cause of Grief in me To find in you so strange a Jealousie Aliz. If you who do the Wrong Sir can admit Of Grief What then must I that Suffer it But Sir your cause of Grief shall be remov'd My Death shall shew you soon how well I lov'd To Plan. Go treacherous Woman False as thou art Fair Those Hopes you rais'd on your wrong'd Friends Despair Shall soon be blasted for my injur'd Ghost Shall still pursue you for those Joyes I lost Where e're you go revenge it shall invoke And shew you still that Heart your Falshood broke You still shall see it or shall hear it groan And it shall haunt you in his Bed and Throne She offers to go out Plan. Oh go not yet away Sev. At â—…east be pleas'd to hear what she can say Aliz. Whatever she can tell I do dispise I 'le not believe her Words above mine Eyes And I have seen so much as I â—…ow fly To seek out Death my onely Remedy Exeunt Alizia and Sevina Plan. So well her height'ned Spirit Sir I know As what she Threatens she too soon will do If by your instant Kindness or my Care We do not stop th' Effects of her Dispair Forgive me if I leave you to attend The Debts I owe to a Dispairing Friend The King stays her King Oh leave not your Adorer to pursue One who does hate you and usurp'd your due If to receive my Passion you decline Even her Dispair will be less great then mine Plan. Detaâ—…n me not She 'll die through our delay King And I shal die should you thus go away Plan. She needs my help King But does not it implore Plan. Her Case deserves it King Mine deserves it more Plan. Her Grief does wound me King So my Love should do Plan. Your Love 's her debt King 'T is onely due to you A great skreik within Plan. That Fatal Skreik must cut off our debate For my best speed I fear will come too late She breaks from the King and goes out hastily King She 's gone and left me in a deeper Grief Then her's to whom she flies to give Relief She does her Hatred to my Love prefer To me she 's Cruel but she 's Kind to her 'T is Fortune onely or resistless Fate Which governs all the World in Love and Hate The King stands musing a while Valeria's Brother thinking him gone comes from behind the Bed The King lifts up his eyes sees him and starts back Valeria's Brother runs into the Bed again King A Man and here and at this time of night How quickly did He vanish from my sight Does she a Visitant like this admit Though my bad Angel 't were I 'le speak to it The King draws his Sword and goes towards the Bed Who art thou and what is it brought thee here The King plucks Valeria's Brother out of the Bed who trembles but answers not His Tongue is ty'd by Guiltiness or Fear Prepare for Death or else resolve my Doubt He 's silent still what Ho who waiâ—…s without Enter two Courtiers running Since my Commands thy silence cannot break I 'le find ouâ—… Tortures which shall make thee speak Seize on this Mute and with him follow me They seize on Valeria's Brother Why should the Thrones of Kings so envy'd be When such strange Griefs assault me in one hour As make my Sorrows greater than my Pow'r Exeunt The End of the Fourth Act. THE FIFTH ACT. Enter King Edward and Lord Latymer King I Have in short told you my cause of Grief Which is as Just as 't is above Relief Ah! to forsake one in whose heart I Reign'd To Court another who my Flames disdain'd And such a Lovely Youth thus hid by her Are loads too heavy for my Soul to bear Lat. Though Sir the Fair Plantagenet may be Too justly blam'd for one Inconstancy Yet in all else her Vertue such hath been As to suspect it Sir would turn a Sin King Oh she who could for Kent my Son forgo What is it after which she might not do She must have given that Love for which she prest Were not her Heart by other Fires possest I 'le not defame her since she bears my name But she for ever has supprest my Flame Enter Sevina hastily Sev. If with your Love Sir for Alizia You have not thrown your Pity too away Be pleas'd to see where She Despairing lies And with your Hand vouchsafe to close her Eyes King Madam what is 't which her Dispair does move Sev. Oh ask not that when she has lost your Love She did a while that Misery suspect But when the certainty she did detect She had but that our strength was her Relief By one dire blow ended her Life and Grief When from her Hand the Weapon we did wrest Suâ—…h storms of Sighs did crow'd out of her Brest And from her Eyes such streams of Tears did flow As we repented that we stop'd the blow For sure the loss of Life is a less Ill Then that Despair which does possess her still But though we did one sort of Death prevent Yet she on dying Sir is so intent
As from Plantagenet I now am come Who dares not Sir one moment leave the room To tell you that th' Assurance of your Love Can onely these resolves of Death remove Despair alas so pow'rful is in her 'T will be too late should you the Cure defer King Ah lead me then where my Alizia lies For in her Sorrow I so Sympathize As I alas without disguise may swear Her grief wounds Me much more than it does Her Exeunt Enter Delaware and Cleorin Cleo. 'T is a strange Secret which you have reveal'd But why alas was it so long conceal'd Repair that Fatal Sin you did commit And fly to tell your Prince and Mistress it Dela As all those Sins which for a Crown are done Heaven does absolve when Heaven does put it on So all those Crimes which are perform'd in Love Do lose that name when we successless prove Cleo. But since of yours you cannot hope Relief Do not delay to cure your Prince's Grief Dela Ah my dear Sister if my hopes were fled You soon should see your wretched Brother dead But who in Love does as a Lover strive Lives while he Hopes and Hopes while he does Live Cleo. Ah! to such empty Hopes impose an end By making Blest your Mistress Prince and Friend So losing of your Hopes you soon will see A greater blessing then your Hopes can be Has Love the Pow'r to sink the Soul so low As to deny what Vertue bids you do What Nobler Fate can Love give to your pain Then to deserve that Love you cannot gain Dela Should I this Secret to them both confess 'T will rather raise then make their Troubles less While under their Delusion they remain Their just resentment robs them of their Pain But were that happy Fallacy remov'd She with such Passion by the King is lov'd As they can ne're possess what I shall lose And 't will in them a lesser Grief infuse Never a hope of Union to admit Then be so near and after miss of it Besides the Kingdom may be plung'd in War When such a Son and Father Rivals aâ—…e Cleo. Ah! you should blush to talk at such a rate Make not your Crime an interest of State Better that War you dream'd of should ensue Then you should shun what Honour bids you do Oh 't is in you too Guilty a Distrust When you fear ought more then to be Unjust Consider should the Prince or she e're know That Secret you to me discover now Dela I fear not that 't is onely known to you Cleo. Yes but it is Dela to whom Cleo. You know it too Ah! little Honour in your Soul does shine Should not your Knowledge fright you more then mine To what low State Love does a Lover bring Is your own witness then so slight a thing Let Vertue and not Fear make you repent Guilt is a greater Ill than Punishment Have you not found what I have said is true Studies a while Dela My Passion strives my Vertue to subdue Pity your Brother whom Love Masters so As he does fear what Honour bids him do Pity your self for it is you alone This hopeless guilty Passion must Dethrone Cleo. To conquer Love there needs but little skill Since none can want the Pow'r who has the Will Dela There 's none does want the Pow'r his Hopes to kill But to Destroy them who can have the Will Cleo. Your Care were finish'd were it but begun Dela Ah this is easier said then it is done Yet I from you this double good have got To know my Debt and grieve I pay it not Cleo. Who grieves he does not what he can and ought Is guilty of his Torment as his Fault Dela Ah! you did never yet the Torment prove Which springs from Honour that disputes with Love Cleo The Torment lies in the Dispute alone Let Honour Conquer and the Torment 's gone Dela But Love assumes o're me so strange a right As 't is at once my Torment and Delight Cleo. You 'll find if Vertues Dictates you pursue Greater Delights exempt from Torments too For though successless Love be no small pain Yet Guilt in Love wounds deeper than Disdain Dela Oh Cleorin that which you have now said Has in my Soul such an Impression made As I perceive Love made me too long stay And Honour now would lead me in the way To that bright Guide I am inclin'd to Trust I 'le rather be Unhappy then Unjust Cleo. Such Charms in following Vertue you will find Dela Ah! should you press me more you 'd be unkind Do not all Honour of my change ingross Leave me part of it to support my Loss Cleo. 'T is not to Vertue that you now resort If it wants strength its own self to support 'T is onely Sin not suffering that it fears It grows the stronger the more weight it bears Dela I know in all it 's own support 't will prove Unless in quitting such a Charming Love Then think it is my Wisdom not my Fault If I seek every help in this Assault Sister Farewell I will retire a while That I may Love and Vertue reconcile Consider well what such a Love must be As with your Vertue dares to disagree Exeunt several wayes The Scene opens Alizia appears lying on a Couch King Edward Plantagenet Latymer Sevina and Women Attendants standing about the Couch Aliz. Ah 't is enough to Die Sir by your Hate Too much your Triumph thus to Celebrate Yet I repine not since you come to see That your Contentment is so dear to me As when I found my Life oppos'd your Love I chose by Death that trouble to remove And I implore your Pardon since the debt Is onely paying and not pay'd you yet But Sir my Rival can declare for me 'T is not my Fau't though it my Trouble be For she her Cruelty is grown so high Makes Death my wish yet hinders me to die King Oh I am come to wait upon you now That I may be both Just to her and you I must contess that her Inchanting Eye Did for a while my Guilty Heart Surprise But what I now shall tell you is as true Madam 't was I not she was false to you Her Friendship for you did the Conquest get I did Assault but could not vanquish it Do not believe that what is spoke by me Is onely to suppress your Jealousie That I thereby the safer Pow'r may win To persevere in and repeat my Sin Oh no that Love and Grief which you have shown Has all the Magick of her Eyes o'rethrown On Fancies Wings I my past flight did take But 't is on Tryals Wings that I fly back Aliz. Alas if Words could cure a broken Heart Those you 've now spoke would have that Pow'r or Art They come too late they should have come before Life you can take away but not restore But Sir the loss of mine my joy shall be If in my Death my matchless Love you see For Sir to
soon some late but all must Burn at last Your Fate you rather should Applaud then Blame Since you must Burn that 't is in such a Flame Try To wear her Chaines Seleucus is to Me A Happiness transcending Liberty Then doe no longer think it is my Love But 't is my Friendship does my Torment prove Since with Demetrius I did once contract I never yet in Thought or Word or Act Yielded to what might it in Question call But now I feare Seleucus that I shall For while that he by me employ'd has been To Court fair Cleopatra for my Queen This other Beauty has so Conquer'd me As without her thy Prince must Wretched be Which justly my Demetrius will offend Hard choice when I must wrong my Love or Friend Sel. Is this Sir the Misfortune you Lament Try You ask as if Fate could a Worse have sent Sel. Demetrius would not Merit your Esteem If that which makes your Joy should Trouble him Try Yet that I shall offend him I must Grieve Sel. Such an Offence as this hee 'l soon Forgive Try My Grief though he forgave it would not end 'T is sad to need the Pardon of a Freind Sel. 'T is more when Fortune does a Subject bring To such a height as to Forgive his King That Glory will the heaviest Wrong outweigh Try Through all this Darkness I might see some Day If my Demetrius e're in Love had bin For then hee 'd judge this Change my Fate not Sin Lovers still pay to Love a deep Respect And where Love is Causes excuse th' Effect Sel. At my request Sir banish all your Care Leave it to me to manage this Affair Try Ah if to this thou giv'st a Happy End Thou hast for ever made thy King thy Freind Embracing him 'T is not enough that he forgives my Sin He must be still my Friend as he hath been For know I need my Sorrows to remove As much his Freindship as my conquerors Love Since if to Win the Last I Lose the First I shall thereby at once be Blest and Curst They goe out The End of the second Act THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE an obscure grove Enter Cleopatra and Hermione Cleo. DOe not my Deare Hermione admire That to this Gloomy Grove I did retire Since here I thought I could my Heart Reveal While the kind Shade my Blushes did Conceal But now I find I 'm in as High a Fright To tell my Fate in Darkness as in Light Shame like the World when it in Chaos lay Knows not distinction betwixt Night and Day Ah judge what are my Troubles since I fear Their sad Relation from my self to hear Her No such Just cause of Grief your Fate can send As Madam at this rate to use your Friend 'T is by that Pow'rfull Name I beg again That you 'l from me no longer hold your Pain Perhaps I may the Cause of it remove Cleo. Oh tell me first have you been e're in Love Her Why Madam doe you ask Cleo. Because I know That none can ease my Pain that is not so Her I was but Love to Friendship did submit Cleo. Ah 't was not Love if ought could Conquer it You lov'd not well or knew his Pow'r but Ill That say you were in Love and are not still The Name of Love for Love it self you took Since Reall Love can never be forsook Had yours been True you might as well have swore You doe not Live as that you Love no more Her What you have spoken does methinks declare You to the Pow'r of Love no stranger are But would you thus reproach me if you knew That what you now condemn I did for you Cleo. Why did you cease to be in Love for me Her By many Proofs I did so clearly see That such a Pleasing Sadness conquer'd you As I to Love could judge it only due And since Your Heart and Mine were still so like I fear'd one Arrow both of us did strike Cleo. Ah say not that your Heart resembles Mine Since you once Lov'd and could your Love decline Not can I fancy who this Man can be Whom you could leave yet think could Conquer me Her Aretus is Cleo. Aretus did your name Her And at that word your Face is in a Flame What Friendship should have done your Blushes doe They are to me more Kind and Just then you Why has Hermione been thus abus'd Cleo. May not one blush that 's wrongfully accus'd Her But my Belief on a sure ground is built I see your Love to him to me your Guilt Madam a Blush when Love is in the case Is in Effect the Conscience of the Face Though in this Secret you my Faith did doubt Deny it not now I have found it out Cleo. Too much your Friendship I have Wrong'd and Try'd My Blushes tell you what my Words deny'd Alas I fear I for Aretus prove That Fatall State the World does call in Love Yet doe not since I did but Hide my Flame Condemn my Friendship but Commend my Shame Nor blame me if to you I fear'd to show What of my self I am asham'd to know But my Hermione since you could see That Pow'rfull Passion which has Conquer'd me Spight of my Care to Cloud it oh I fear It may to others as to you appear Should that befall me which so much I dread Honour and Grief would justly strike me dead Her That Fear you ought not Madam to admit Cleo. How did you then come to discover it Her That Grief which when retir'd you still exprest Made me Suspect what now you have confest For she who Greives while courted by a King Shews that such Grief alone from Love can spring And when I found you Lov'd I quickly knew Your Love could be but to Aretus due Which since you have acknowledg'd give me leave To aske why Tryphon's Love you did receave Was not Ambiton in your soul too strong Cleo. Doe not at once my Love and Viâ—…tue wrong For if I had Aretus Passion known I would have valu'd it above a Throne Her But now t is known why is it not embrac'd Cleo. Because my word was first to Tryphon past Her As you my Love so I your Love must blame Since you before your Love prefer your Fame Cleo. I should appear unfit for his Esteem Did I not value more my Word then Him And this great Pleasure to my Act is due That which does lose me him deserves him too Ah why did not Aretus let me see That Passion which you say he has for me Before my Promise was to Tryphon past Her But why to give it did you make such hast Cleo. I fear'd that he who did my Heart subdue Would my Hermione have seen it too And I his Love for ever would decline Rather then he should first discover mine T was fitter since I ow'd it to my Fame To suffer Ruine then to merit Shame Her But e're you did admit the Kings Address Aretus looks did
too All men Condemn that which he now hath Done More then they doe his Usurpation Since it in Reason cannot be deny'd But that Inconstancy is worse then Pride Pride oft in Heighthned Souls does it self show Inconstancy Rules only in the Low And since your Sex does your own Hand Confine From Acting your Revenge accept of mine Cleo. That Generous Sence you of my Wrongs doe show And the Brave Offer which you make me now Joyn'd with that Friendship which I alwayes see You have both for Nicanor and for me Makes me believe I should Unjustly doe If I in ought could hide my Greif from you Know then my Wrongs to me so Weighty seem As I am Rack'd till I 'm Reveng'd on him And know that no Revenge can Grateful be But one as Vast as is the Injury Sel. Will you not judge that our Deposing him Is a Revenge proportion'd to his Crime Cleo. Aâ—…talk not of deposing him you know That 's less then what you to your Country owe For Syria's Wrongs and mine will you pursue A less Revenge then is to either due And for those Sins which he has Done before Will you Restraine him but from Doing more Sel. Tryphon will find since he in Crimes was bred That such Restraint is worse then to be Dead To one Depos'd what Sentence can you give So Cruel as Condemning him to Live Some Generous men who did that Fate endure To shun the shame in Death have Sought the Cure Cleo. A Generous man Seleucus I will owne Finds Death an Ease when he has lost his Throne But he whose Soul is Low and Crimes are High Thinks it the Greatest Punishment to Dye And that Revenge has still the Sharpest bin Which is held such by him who did the Sin Ah for my Wrongs there 's no Revenge seems Good That is not written in th' Offenders Blood In all else you Propose you Lose your Breath And to Obliege me you must aske his Death Sel. If nothing else your Anger can atone Madam depend upon 't it shall be Done But 't is a Deed so Daring and Sublime That to Perform it will require some time Though I his Guards command I dare not yet Trust them with things so Dangerous and Great Cleo. To Dangerous Acts the Brave should alwayes run Those must not be Consulted of but Done A Tyrants Pow'r still on his Life depends Who cuts it off cuts off with it his Friends But that you may this Deed the boldlier doe My Secrets I will now Disclose to you Aretus who your Friendship does Possess And who is Gallant ev'n to an Excess Coâ—…ts my Affection to a High Degree And I must â—…ing say is Own'd by me In my Revenge him I engag'd of late He shall joyn with you to Act Tryphons Fate Which by th' Usurper cannot be declin'd When two such Men his Ruine have design'd But some â—…ders in your Looks I see Sel. Why have you Trusted any one but Me I am perplex'd that you Revenge Design And yet make use of any Arm but Mine Cleo. Into new Griefs me my Revenge had Thrown If I had ow'd so Great a Dâ—… to one I therefore chuse to share it betwixt two Love does in him what Friendship does in you Sel. Yes to Aretus Madam I 'l be â—…ust He does Deserve this Honour and this Trust Wee 'l both Consult which is the surest Way In this Great Work your Orders to Obey Cleo. This Favour no Addition can admit But by Celerity in Doing it Since while my best Revenge you both defer I feel those Pains which Tryphon ought to bear Cleopatra goes 〈◊〉 Seleucus alone O Prodigy of Fate I hither came T' Acquaint Fair Cleopatra with my Flame And scarce could doubt but I should Happy prove Since I through her Revenge diâ—… Court her Love But e'r my Heart I at her Feet could lay She tels me she has giv'n her Own away Nay more in her Revenge shee 'd have me Joyn With him who most of all does Merit Mine Never was any Lovers Fate so hard The Danger I must Share not the Reward Was it her Ignorance or else her Art Thus to accept my Hand but not my Heart Aretus hitherto has been my Friend But Love now to that Name does give an End And to Obtain her he shall quickly see He must not only Tryphon Kill but Me. THE FIFTH ACT. The SCENE is Nicanors Pallace The Scene opens Tryphon Demetrius Stratonice and Irene Demetrius from behind Tryphon fixes his Eyes on Stratonice folds his Armes the one Within the other Sighs and goes out still gâ—…ing on her Try NIcanor and Demetrius having been Imploy'd by me to Court you for my Queen And having found by both that my Address Has not obtain'd the much desir'd Success I now am Come Madam to wait on you To pay that Love which to your Beautie 's due A Love which 't were Injustice to despise Since 't is the pow'rful Influence of your Eyes Stra. That Love which now is offer'd me by you Is Sir to Cleopatra only due Th' Injustice then much Greater would appear Should I usurp that which belongs to her Then doe not Sir Sollicit me to do A Wrong to Nature and to Justice too T' were Sin if such Desires were not deny'd Try Nature and Justice both are on my side Where Nature does most Liberally bestow The Charmes of Beauty there our Loves we Owe And I the Rules of Justice but pursue Paying a Debt where Na ure showes 't is due Stra. Since your first Love you did to her afford Justice oblieges you to keep your Word And to my Sister Sir I am Confin'd By Natures Law to be both Just and kind Thus Sir the Right is on my side you see Fancy does Govern you but Reason me Try Such Cruel Words ought not from you to fall What you term Fancy I must Duty Call If you I first had seen then her Ador'd By you most Justly I had been abhor'd But you being seen I should my self abhor If after I Your Sister could Adore Your Justice into question will be brought If my Misfortune should be call'd my Fault Madam it must be sure some other thing Which makes you at this rate to use your King And from his Proffer'd Throne thus to Retire A Glory to which all but you Aspire Stra. She does not Merit to a Throne to Clime Who does acquire that Glory by a Crime To be a Quen I would not wound my Name Try Your only Crime is that you slight my Flame A Flame which if by you Contemn'd it be Shall Ruine others as 't will Ruine me Madam take heed of being thus unkind Least you your Iudge should in your Lover find Stra. Nothing can me to Unjust Actions move Not will I Sir be threatned into Love Ah if true Love e'r in your Heart had Raign'd You would have known it could not be Constrain'd Under Heav'ns Care Love above Life does stand Tyrants may Love but cannot Love
Command Act what you said to me t' will easier prove T' indure your Sentence then indure your Love Try Mistake not what your Scorn forc'd me to say For to your Beauties such Respect I pay I 'd Kill my self sooner then threaten you But with Revenge Nicanor I 'l Pursue He to my Love when told him was unkind And then I fear'd th' Effects which now I find Stra. This Menace is beyond your first severe You Threaten now what only I can feare But Feare to Love was never yet the Way Try I must not Credit that which now you say For of Loves Theory so much you show Stratonice seems disordered As I believe the Practick too you know This is a Truth your blushes now have shown Nor could you scorne my Passion and my Throne Had not some other prepossest your Heart To find him out I 'l use my Pow'r and Art And Madam then it will perhaps appear You can for him as for Nicanor fear I am now certain you a Lover have Him and my hopes I 'l bury in one Grave For since you make me Wretched you shall know I have the Pow'r to make you Wretched too And though my Rival might escape my Hand Yet still your Father's Life 's at my Command Which he shall Lose if by to morrow night You value not that Love which now you slight Stra. Yes Tyrant thy Resentments more to move I will Confess to thee I am in Love But yet to thee the Man shall ne'r be known For whom I scorn thy Passion and thy Throne Act then thy Menaces that thou mayst see I too am more in Love with Death then thee To those who feel such Cruelties as these Dying is not a Punishment but ease Try Know that to Morrow Night 's the utmost date Given to Nicanor's Life or to thy Hate Stra. To Morrow Night In both it shall appear Who feares not Death does not a Tyrant fear Exeunt severallâ—… Enter Seleucus Alone The SCENE is the Garden of Tryphons Pallace Oh whether by my Passion am I Led My Love should die after my Hopes are dead She has her self declar'd to me that she Has given to him that which is sought by me Nor is Aretus guilty of the Crime He does to me what I 'd have done to him Because in Love I cannot reach my End Why should Revenge deprive me of my Friend Great Gods how can I grow so Cold and tame As on a Rivall to bestow that Name And while Aretus does my Joyes Ingross Talke my self into Patience for my loss Since Friendship thus does plead for my Disgrace Revenge do thou ascend and take the place Thou more like Virtue dost to me appear Then Friendship can in this Affront I bear Since to the Brave nothing should be above Revenge in Wrongs or Constancy in Love Therefore thy Death proud Rivall I le pursue If I must Loose her thou must Loose her too Tryphon comes in to him Try Seleucus now I feel a Matchless Paine My Perfect Love Meets with the like Disdaine 'Twixt what her Beautie and her Scorn does doe At once I Hate her and Adore her too Ah when Provok'd by what to me she said I Menac'd her to take Nicanor's Head So Bravely she the threatning did Despise Her Spirit I Admire above her Eyes Thus what I thought the speediest Way might be To Conquer her has the more Conquer'd me For to my Bondage Iam now Confin'd Both by the Lustre of her Eyes and Mind But that which does my Highest Torment prove Is She Confest to me she was in Love And proudly said t was past my Pow'r and Art To find him out to whom she gave her heart Sel. This and the scorn which you from her Indure Should make you to your Reason owe your Cure Try To one in Love do not of Reason speake For Love is never strong till Reason's weake My Passion is so Pow'rfull and so High As if I miss Enjoying her I Die But if by thy Assistance she be won Thou shalt with her devide my Heart and Crown Sel. Wealth is a thing I never did regard To have your Favour is the best Reward Which I 'l deserve since Sir to reach your Ends I will expose my Mistress and my Friends Yes Sir to me alone you now will know That both your Life and Mistress you shall owe Then summon all your Fortitude to hear That which at once will wound your Heart and Ear Our Fortunes Sir with the like Malice move You Love one Sister I the other Love You have a Rivall who her Heart has wonne To me my Rivall the like Wrong has done But that at which we both should most repine Your Friend 's your Rivall and my Friend is mine Try What Friend of mine can dare affront me thus Sel. That name you give but to Demetrius Try Oh Gods what Horrors does my Soul invade Scorn'd by my Mistress by my Friend betray'd This fatal Secret who disclos'd to thee Sel. 'T was he himself that open'd it to me Try From me conceale it and yet tell it you Should I believe Demetrius is untrue Oh do not take this way t' Usurp his Place Sel. He durst not tell you he your Rival was But had you mark'd those Horrors he was in When him you prest to court her for your Queen You would not have been doubtfull of his Crime Your Eyes had told you what I learn'd from him Try 'T is true his Troubles as it were above What any Passion could produce but Love My Erroâ—… and thy Faithfulness I see Ah since Demetrius proves so false to me Sure 't is he too that doth my Life pursue Sel. No Sir that Guilt is to Aretus due With â—…e he Cleopatra does Adore Who does so much your Leaving her Abhorr That she has made my Rivall promise her Charm'd by Loves Pow'r to be your Murtherer She â—…y'd my help in the Designe to win But Sir I did detest so base a Sin Try Thou art my Genius and I owe to thee All that I am and all I hope to be Though Cleopatra's Guilt be rais'd so high That as Aretus she deserves to Dye Yet if she 'll marry thee I 'le pardon her But I one hour will not his Death defer Sel. This favour tyes me while I live to you But Sir in your own case what will you doe Try In that Seleucus I am doubtfull yet For on each side the difficultie's great I look with Horror on Demetrius guilt Yet tremble to pluck down what I have built Friendship and Love so in my Bosome strive As I yet know not which shall there survive I now am under an unheard of Fate My Friend and Mistress I both Love and Hate â—…h would Aretus all my Blood had spilt That against either I might shun the Guilt In this sad streight I 'de be advis'd by thee Sel. The Resolution easy seems to me For to your Love if you can give an End You ought