save thy Brother Org. What Remedy Time Patience Opportunity The fiercest Torrents of a womans Passion Has both its Ebbs and Flows her tide of Hate Strong as it is and bears down all before it May turn and turn to Love try her again You know the King now Wars with the Sicillians And leaves the Queen and Kingdom to your Care Cou'd any thing more favour your design Brother be ruled by me you know this Garden Is ev'ry night her walk before she sleeps Here meet with her and once more own your passion If she refuses you again forget her And leave the Scornfull Beauty to her self Men. Forget Semanthe 't is impossible Sooner the Glorious Sun shall turn its Course Motion and Nature their great work give o're And the Eternall Axis Rowle no more Enter Semanthe Org. Brother no more the Queen is coming this way Now if you ever hope to gain your wishes Be bold and your undaunted Passion speak Mean while I will retire to yonder Grove That Secresy and Silence may befriend you Exit Org. Men. Oh how I burn when I behold that face Turn turn Semanthe Cruell woman turn Sem. Bless me what mournfull Sound was that Men. Mournfull indeed And from the wretched'st man that sound was sent That ever sigh'd for Beauty great as your's Sem. This villain here how my heart shakes to see him aside What mean you Menaphon to him â—en O I must speak Though Death with Torments Tyrants ne're found out Stood ready for me I must say I love you Sem. As a Subject and t' will become you Men. O Gracious Princess if that blessed form kneels E're harbour'd pity for a wretch distressâ—d Shew some to me to me whom violent love Has tortur'd on the wrack of fruitless hope And anchor'd down my Soul in Seas of woe Sem. I understand you not Men. Then farewell Circumstance rises And since you are not pleas'd to understand me Tho' I have oft discours'd this Subject to you But by a plain and easy way of speech All Superstitious reverence layd by I love you as a man and as a man I wou'd enjoy you why d' ye start and fly me I am no monster and you 'r but a woman A woman made to yield and by example Told it is Lawfull favours of this nature Are in our Age no Miracles I' th greatest And therefore Madam approaching her Sem. Villain stand farther off Ungratefull Monster A Crime which Creatures wanting reason fly from Are all the Princely Bounties Favours Honours Which with some prejudice to his own wisdom Thy Lord and Raiser has Confer'd upon thee In such a short time bury'd has he made thee From one obscure allmost without name The envy of great Fortunes have I grac'd thee Beyond thy Rank and entertain'd thee as A Friend and not a servant and is this This Insolent attempt upon my Honour The fair return of both our ventured favours Men. Hear my excuse Sem. The fall'n Angells may plead mercy And with as much assurance as thou hope it This is not the first time Your treach'rous tongue has utter'd this wild outrage Think not I 'le Longer bear your Insolence What Smiles what friendships has my Lord showr'd on thee What a vast trust has he reposed in thee By leaving both his Kingdom and my self To thy protectian Villain think on this And let it quench the Feavour in thy bloud Men. All this I've done and many a weary night Have call'd these thoughts to my most strict rememb'rance Brought my soul up to honours bar and try'd The Cause of love at Conscience high Tribunall But oh in vain for now too late I find There is no Medicine for a tortur'd mind But freedom from the torture it sustains Therefore Divinest Princess Sem. Cease your Insolence Darst thou again with thy invenom'd breath After I had forbid thee strive to tempt me To Act a deed which my soul shakes to think on Know Traytor to reward this sawcy boldness I will not only paint thy barb'rous Guilt In its most hideous black Infernal form And to the Injur'd King present the Gorgon But rouse too my own Justice and Revenge Th' unquall'd Crime with forfeit of thy Head offers to go Men. Stay stay bright Angell hear me but one word O! tho' my fault deserves a Punishment Men. kneels she returns Greater then his who stole Joves fire from Heav'n Be you Compassionate and shew some mercy I must confess my fault unpardonable But oh consider what the force of Love is But yet indeed to own a love to you Was too presumptuous and I do repent it Sem. Can it be hoped After a practise so abhorr'd as thine Repentance e're can find thee Men. By your self By your bright self divinest Queen I swear And all those Powers that guard your Innocence Henceforth I never will in word or deed Make Repetition of my Lawless Love 'T is not the fear of Death makes me sue thus But a loath'd detestation of my madness That makes me wish to live to have your pardon Which Granted in your presence whom I 've wrong'd I 'le let out that Ranck bloud which caus'd my folly Sem. No rise rise Menaphon you have my pardon And shall my favour if you keep your Oath But if you do not by the Pow'rs that rule us By all the fury of an injur'd Princess I 'le lay aside all thoughts of gentle pitty And when thy life shall answer thy black deed Stand by with pleasure to behold thee bleed Ex. Sem. Manet Men. Men. She 's Gone for ever gone and I am lost Ne're speak of Love on forfeit of my life O why was I pick'd out from all Mankind To fix my Love on so much scorn and beauty And why since fate had destin'd me to love her Should any other man in peace possess her No if he do may fortune still pursue me With all her utmost and severest malice O 't would be rare revenge for my scorn'd passion To throw a burning brand in the Kings breast And make his Soul feel tortures great as mine Work stronger in my heart thou dear revenge For thou art now all Musick to my sense Enter Orgillus Whose there My Brother Orgillus Org. The same What have you spoke to her Men. Yes I have sued Kneel'd wept and begg'd but tears and vows and words Move her no more then Summer winds a Rock She threat'ned to discover to the King All that I ever mention'd of my love Which had she done I know my Orgillus My Life must needs have been the fatall forfiet Which to prevent I 've bound my self by Oath Never to mention my rash love again Org. And will you keep that Oath Men. By Heav'n I will But yet I will not loose her unreveng'd This King that detains all my happyness Shall live in Torments great as I endure Curss'd Jealousy that Poys'ner of Content Shall put an end to all his quiet here And O take heed Semanthe for the Plot
Fate far worse then those Sicillians Whom his Victorious Arm has Lodg'd in Graves For we have not alone Conspired his fall But what will add more pleasure to revenge His Soul for that short time he lives on Earth Shall feel worse Torments then the damn'd endure O what a Scene have we in one night laid To ruine both a King a Queen and Fav'rite Org. Brother you yet forget the greatest Point The Plot we 've laid we can't perform alone But by the help of some that 's near the Queen We may with ease Accomplish our design Armena Confident to fair Semanthe I once did make some shew of kindness to And till the Fruit I tasted lov'd the Tree And tho' my passion does apace decline To further our design I 'le yet love on At least pretend I do she she shall aid us I know for the past pleasures we have had And for those many more she hopes t' enjoy She 'l be assisting to what e're I ask Men. But Orgillus will she be faithfull to us Org. That is indeed against her Sexes nature But if she 's secret till we 've workt our ends A bowl of Poison stops her tongue with ease Men. O thou art most Ingenions at contrivance By Heav'n I am all Extasy to think With what a brave Revenge I pay her scorn But Orgillus our Vengeance stops not there The Scene of blood will yet far higher grow For when the Hot the fiery Meleander The Brother to this scornfull piece of Beauty Shall from the King hear of his Sisters shame I know his boyling bloud will rise so high That his wild rage will be his own undoing Then then my Brother when the Royal Line Is by the King 's fierce Jealousy destroy'd Who then remains to take the Crown but me Ambition and Revenge have fired my Soul And I 'm Impatient till the work is done Org. Brother be Temperate for rashness often Spoils those designs that have with care been laid And roots up their Foundations See Armena Now smooth-fac'd flattery assist my Cause And dear dissimulation stand my Friend Retire my Menaphon it is not fit You should be seen till I have wrought her to us Men. I go and may success attend thy purpose Ex. Men. Enter Armena Org. Madam you 're grown a perfect stranger to me There was a time when it was otherwise Arm. There was indeed but now that time is past You did obtain my easy Love too soon And scorn the prize which was so quickly won Now other beauties do possess that heart Which once I thought my own but O fond fool Why did my vanity extend so far To think that I had Charms enough to keep One of that Sex which ne're were constant yet Org. Armena I confess I 've been unkind But oh it was not without wond'rous reason Arm. Did I e're give you cause No Orgillus The tender Mother of her sucking Infant Was never half fo fond as I of thee I must confess indeed I was below ye But sure my Love might make amends for that What cause then coud'st thou find so soon to slight me Org. O my best life think not 't was want of love No my Armenia I so truly love thee That to thee I 'le unclasp my burthen'd Soul Empty the store-house of my thoughts and heart Make my self poor of Secrets will not leave One thought untold that dwells within my breast Arm. What e're it be my Lord that does disturb you O Let me know 't that I may bear a part Org. Thou shalt my Love but oh take heed Armena Be very Cautious and keep close the secret For 't is so great my life relies upon 't Arm. Can Orgillus then doubt me Oh unkind That very word Confirms you do not love Org. Pardon me dearest I 'le distrust no more Know then the King the Queen and Ithocles Did all conspire my Ruine and disgrace I once was favour'd and belov'd at Court I was the darling of the King and People But when the King was wedded to Semanthe All that great love which he before had shewn me He took away at once from Orgillus And streight bestow'd it on Semanthe's Brother This I forgave and thought it was my duty To resign place to 'th Brother of my Queen But Oh a worse disgrace he threw upon me For Ithocles this upstart Favourite Crept into the opinion of the Queen And by her mediation to the King Got from me all the Offices I bore and gave 'em all to him This this Armenia hangs upon my Soul More heavy far then lies the Load on Atlas But didst thou Love didst thou but truly Love I yet might find a way to crown my peace Arm. O name it Orgillus and if I fail T' assist in ought that may produce thy quiet May I ne're taste the Joys that are on Earth Nor the Immortal pleasures dwell in Heav'n Org. Thou only Miracle of woman kind How cou'd I merit so much wond'rous Goodness Know then Armena to revenge my wrongs I have design'd the death o' th King and Queen But cannot do 't without thy kind assistance Arm. How Orgillus Org. What d' ye start Armena Nay then I have deliver'd up my life To one that has determin'd to betray me Arm. Indeed my Lord this is the only thing I shou'd i' th least have scrupled to have done But yet to shew how well how true I love I 'le strive in this to serve my Orgillus Org. O let me take thee Closer to my heart My dearest Saint my life my Soul my heav'n Arm. I must Confess I could not easily Embarque in a design of so much horrour But O my Lord you have receiv'd indignities Disgrace so infamous and wrongs so Lowd Enough to shake a Saint wrongs of that weight That I have wonder'd you cou'd bear and Love Nay but to think what crying Injuries What vile injustice the ingratitude Of a false Court has heap'd on my dear Lord Has sometimes Rowz'd that Gall that Just resentment Even in poor poor Armena that I 've wish'd A Masculine Nerve in this female Arm Able to weild a Sword in your hard cause And be my dearest injur'd Love's Avenger Org. My Beauteous Champion my Lovely Heroine In what a mighty Sum shall I be bound Arm. I must be gone the Queen will streight expect me But oh my Orgillus with thee I leave My Heart which shall be ever faithfull to thee And tho' the world my fault will disapprove I 'de venture more to serve the man I love Exit Arm. Manet Orgillus Org. Poor Loving fool with how much ease thou' rt caught That man that wou'd Successfull be in mischief Must by one means or other hook in woman Mischief's they 'r study mischief is their Trade And sure t' was for that only they were made For when a woman once in mischief Joyns She 's sure to gain whatever she designs Enter Menaphon Now Brother Tryumph things exceed our wishes I 've wrought
Armenia up to such a height Sh 'as vow'd to second us in our Revenge Men. 'T is well but let us hast to meet the King Hark Trumpets Drums and Shouts afar off Those Shouts inform us he is near the City And if our Plot goes right near to his Grave Again Good Heav'n Shouts nearer With how much Joy they wellcome him to Death Come Orgillus let us go meet this man Who Swell'd with Conquest comes with Tryumph on Trumpets and Drums on one side On the Other Violins Flutes and other Musick Enter on one side the King Meleander Lattimus Captains Guards On the other The Queen Ithocles Marcelia Menaphon Orgillus and Armena attend The King and Semanthe meet and Embrace King O my Semanthe take me to thy breast And let me Grow for ever in thy Arms. By Heav'n my Joys are much too great to bear Shou'd I gaze longer on this Charming fair Such killing brightness from her eyes she 'd cast I shou'd not have the power to stand before ' em Sem. My Lord my life O how shall I express My wonderous Bliss to see you safe return'd I swear I think the Joys of Heaven too poor To put in ballance with this one bless'd hour King My dear dear happyness my all I prize I swear my Lords and O bear witness for me You mighty Powers that have in war preserv'd me I Joy not half so much in all my Conquests As I do now in this dear happy minute Clasping Semanthe in my Longing Arms. Whilst the King goes and Salutes Marcelia Meleander comes towards the Queen Sem. O wellcome Brother wellcome Meleander From all the dreadfull hazards of the war Wellcome above the world next my Lov'd Lord. presents Lattimus Mele. I thank you Royall Sister and I beg Your favour for this youth my lifes preserver Lattinius Kneels and kisses the Queens hand Itho. The more I look upon that Lovely youth The more I see of poor Statilia in him My Sister who before this war fled from me aside Whither I know not nor for what strange Cause Men. Health and Success attend your Majesty Kneeling May all the Glories that your Arms have won Be doubled on you and your Conqu'ring Sword Be ever thus Successful 'gainst your foes King Rise Menaphon my true my faithfull freind O what return is in my power sufficient To recompence thee for thy wonderous care Of my Semanthe and my Kingdoms safety I swear cou'd I bestow a Crown upon thee 'T would be too little to requite thy merits Men. What I have done was nothing but my duty And wou'd do more if more were in my power To serve my Royall Lord. King I know thou wou'dst I know thy honesty To be as great as ever dwelt in man And know besides that shou'd I spend my Life In thanks to Heav'n for making me so bless'd With Loyall Subjects faithful valiant Warriours But above all with my Semanthes Love 'T would be too little O my brightest Star Let me again infold the next my heart Thus breathe my Soul into thy throbbing bosome I cou'd grow mad with my excese of bliss And end my Life this moment in thy arms Men. How soon this mighty Scene of love will vanish When once he finds my Poyson working in him aside Itho. My Royall Lord since you 're so bless'd by fate And Heav'n has given you all you can desire Let me implore who want your Royall favour Your kind Consent to make your vassall happy King O Ithocles if ought is in my power To recompence thy Loyallty and Courage Be quick and let me know how I may serve thee Itho. Great Sir upon my knees I beg forgiveness That I presume to ask so great a gift But love Reigns strongly in my tortur'd breast And tho' I 'me loved by her my Soul most Covets 'T is your Consent alone can make me happy Since 't is Marcelia Sir for whom I sue Mele Ha! for Marcelia Lord thou suest in vain For tho' I yet ne're own'd my Love to her I 've Long been her Adorer And have the Kings Consent to make her mine Latt Then I am Lost Aside King 'T is true brave Ithocles Before I knew thy Love I 'de given my promise And never can consent she shall be thine Whilst one so pow'rfull stands in Competition Mar. O Sir upon my knees let me intreat you Force not my Inclinations 't is most true That I have given my heart to Ithocles And never can consent to love another Meleander is too noble sure to seek The love of one that must deny his passion Mele. Why Cruell fair am I so far unworthy That you should scorn me thus to please a Rivall He cannot more then I adore Marcelia Nor Venture more to shew how much he loves I have the King's Consent Itho. But I Marcelia's Mar. And when I e're consent to love another Heav'n shut your bright gates against me banish me From the bless'd Realms of your Immortal day May I King No more thou Cheap Ignoble fool That durst to own a Love without my knowledge To you my Lord I ever shew'd such kindness to Itho. As might have kept you from so base an Act To Court thus privately a Niece of mine Forget her and I 'le own thee still my Friend Persist in it and thy Life answers for it Itho. Forget her No if I must lose Marcelia Death is the kindest thing you can bestow And I wou'd now most willingly embrace it Since I must never hope t' obtain my Love For you my Lord it shews most base in you to Mele. To offer to invade Anothers right Our hearts our Souls are join'd by Solemn Contract And tho' the King's Consent on my side 's wanting Her Constant heart is never to be Chang'd Therefore I know your Courtship will be vain Latt Pray Heav'n it be Aside King Well Sir leave that to time But now to shew how much thy vanity And thy unlook'd for suit has mov'd thy King As you respect my favour I command you Never make mention of thy impious love to Itho. For if thou dost by the great victory My arms have gain'd over the bold Suillians Thou shallt no more behold the face of day But in a Dungeon dark as your loves were I 'le make thee end the remnant of thy days Sem. My Gracious Lord let me intreat this mercy To Calm your rage 'gainst the unhappy Ithocles Consider love's the Occasion of his Crime Whose power alass your Royall self have felt And know 't is Irresistable King O pardon me thou Mirrour of thy Sex That I bestow one minute from thy arms But shall Semanthes Brother plead in vain He who feels flames as great as Ithocles It must not be by Heav'n my love it must not Conduct Marcelia straight to her Apartment to Armena And let none visit her without my Order Exit Marcelia weeping with Armena Come my Semanthe after all the Hazards That do attend on war the happyness