flutt'ring o'r their ruin'd Mansions And there too soon he spy'd A Diamond in the Dust sparkling Philarmia Pale and yet glimmering in the shades of Death Then strait tear's up his Wounds and with his Dagger 〈◊〉 Till he falls dead upon her Tam. Happy Pair Enter Despina Ax. What Love affairs yet Friends let us retire Exit with Soldierâ— Tam. Here comes the sole Disturber of my peaceful â—houghts Desp. Thanks most indulgent Conqueror Now I find There are some Monarchs that do own the Gods That unrestrained Power allay'd With Piety can bound it self like th' Ocean Whose uphil Waves hang o'r the threat'ned Earth Might overflow its humble Friend but will not Trumpets and Cornets the Procession enters Virgins in Mourning Tam. So so here comes the Stateliest piece of Shame That ever Monarch groan'd for Now I feel Honor and Piety return again I 'll keep my purpose Close to Religion Laws to Heav'n to Nature Irene is brought in like a Sacrifice Drest like a Sacrifice Ah poor Irene Art thou preparâ—◠〈◊〉 for a sudden Fate Ire A sudden Fate There 's no such thing in Nature We 're dying from our â—radles Heav'n can send No greater 〈◊〉 when 't has predispos'd Mâ—n for the 〈◊〉 'T is a quiâ—k Mâ—d'cine for a long Disease Re-enter Aâ—alla Ha! what Pageant 's this Great Gods can this be true or do I see A Lovers Oath an over-acted Rant A 〈◊〉 Word that has out-run a Thought Fore'd by the Violence of self-urging Passion Which the Gods laugh at other men dispise And featâ—er to the Wind become so sacred So indispenâ—ible that she must dye â—orâ—â— Nay she by whom thou Livâ—st thy Angel thy Redeemer Are there such things as Gods Or are they over-busy'd Or is the World become so rankly Wicked Ne'ra spare Thunderbolt is lest for Thee Tam. Oh spare me spare me let me dye Axallâ— Ax. Canst thou devorâ— that Life that sav'd thy own See that blood spilt that sprung from thy own Fountain And kept thy own from shedding Canst thou hear Her dying Groans by whose sweet Prayers the Heav'ns Have been inclin'd to thy Success and softned to Tay Failings By whose dear Murmurs and Celestial Sound Thy Life has been refresh'd more than by Glory Whose Tears wou'd melt the Earth into an Ocean Whose Sighs wou'd cleave an Universe of Adamants Aâ—d make a Palsy shake the guilty Earth To â—hreds to Atoms to a second Chaos Tho it were Crampt with unrelenting Irons And Hearts as hard as thine Tam. Axalla Oh Axalla cou'dst thou see My Heart thou woud'st not chide but pity me Here stands a Saint and there methinks an Angel Peeps from the Clouds to call me to performance Of Sacred Vows Is Heaven divided Against it self and shall frail man be constant Nay more than that I 'm satisfi'd by all The Oracles of Heav'n the Mystic Priests Of several Churches that my Vow 's perform'd In her delivery But oh I 've done too much Desp. Ha! is 't come to this Aside Ax. Too much indeed and more than Heav'n requires For had you made a Vow to burn the World Blot out Religion Laws destroy Mankind And leave no Soul to Worship his Creator 'T were Sin to make it but to keep it greater Fy Sir for shame grasp your loose thoughts together Bind up your shatter'd Soâ— that it may piece again And grow the stronger by this Amorous Fracture Oh let me never live to see The Glory of all Ages basely bury'd Thus in a Woman's Arms. Desp. Sir I perceive I breed a Faction in your Family Your Slaves are angry and you must obey Unbind the Princess but unloose me too From my rash Contract 'T is better for us both Tam. No Fairest no Let me not lose that Heav'n after assurance Think of some Nobler less afflicting Tryal Some desperate never yet attempted Action Nor ever thought of Bid me drain the Ocean Make Mountains Navigable transplant a Climate Unhindge the Globe Bid me obscure the Sun Name that impossible that shan't be done But urge me not to tear out mine own Bowels To be alive Dissected doubly Martyr'd Desp. Are Vows made only to be broke and Women The Stales to cheat the Gods by Is this your Love That I must keep my Word and you be free I 'll try if I shall be obey'd Strangle the Princess Ax. kneeling Hold Madam hold Here take my guilty Head 'T was I that councelâ—d Bajazet's Destruction Contriv'd the Murder urg'd the doubtful Prince Cou'd her soft Heart contrive so harsh a Deed Her Pious Soul consent to such black Crimes Cou'd she the fatal Laws of Empire know The hard necessities of Jealous Greatness Let me the Author expiate the Crime Let not this spotless Lamb redeem a Tyger Deep in your Husband's Blood. Desp. You are her Lover Then I must punish you and set her free Ire Oh Madam hear him not his cruel Love Betrays his Life but never will save mine For sure I neither can nor will out-live him Ah generous Innocent why wilt thou rob me Of Martyrdom in such a Glorious Cause To save my Father's Life and ease his Sorrows That weigh too heavy on the afflicted World Desp. What Game of Glory 's this where Death 's the Prize And Life the odious Blank When Appetites Are too irregular pity they shou'd be humour'd Tam. He wrongs himself to save his guiltless Mistress No Truth is half so Holy as this Falsehood Despair urg'd Bajazet to self-Destruction Heav'n be my Judge 't was no Command of mine Nor yet their Counsel to substract one minute From his Heroic Life Desp. So you have told me Sir and I begin To think you real well 't is time The Vail were off lest Passion work some mischief Forgive me mighty Sir this bold Request kneeling 'T was but to try the firâ—ess of your Love You have discharg'd your Promise to the utmost 〈…〉 upon the Rack your own indulgent Nature Sir 〈◊〉 think this was the way to win you And make my self the Empress of the World To come to your Majestie bed all reâ—king In your dear Daughters Blood I 'm satisfy'd You never order'd Bajazets Destruction As you convinc'd me since Tam. 'T is a Sacred Truth No more than by hard usage and denying To him the sight of you which was his Life Desp. That well might move me Sir but not so highly Tam. I had your temper show'd me in false Glasses Which made me Amourously own in part What you believ'd by many weighty Reasons Ax. This may end well I 've seldom heard of Women Stand upon terms with all-commanding Emperors Rag. If these two piece again what will become Of me the Engineer I shall be crush'd 'Twixt these two mighty Wheels that I have put In motion Perhaps the Emperor is not poyson'd Who knows the walks of wily Womankind Desp. Now Sir by Virtue of your former Grant I 'll add but one request you 'll not deny me 'T is to release your Admirable Daughter And
of another Man's Counsel 't is as fatal and slavish as borrowing of Money Now will Despina when she 's a little cooler tell him that formal Tale I told her Plow that upon very high and opprobrious Language to the Emperor one of the Keepers by his order struck Bajazet that he dyed on 't which is not so very Barbarous but Tamerlane perhaps will own it a little to try her temper but he shall never be believed if he unswear it a Thousand times He is a Man of so much Honor That a Lye of his is more credible than a Verdict of Twelve Men. 'T is not good to use a Man's self to be too punctual 't is too like an Engine Every Man knows where to have him ACT. III. SCENE I. Tamerlane Despina Ragalzan following Rag. SO the work is doing and my Pupil Is strong in Argument against himself What neither Hate nor Reason could suggest Nor Malice hope for Beauty has supply'd What all the Universe could ne'r have shaken One Female has subverted That great Mind That thought the World too little creeps and fawns Like a well-beaten Spaniel Now 's the time Now he lies open bare from the protection Of his own Virtues by the Gods forsaken Bound hand and foot by Woman and deliver'd To my Correction But I 'le use him gently Gently as Bears the Robbers of their Whelps as Lions The Men that stick their Javelins in their sides As Clowns their Plunderers Thieves broke loose their Judges As Lawyers Clients or Electors Ale As Brokers Bankrupts Senates needy Princes Trustees a Minor Priests a sinful Purse Mad Dogs their Mates and Wives their Husbands Whores Tam. Dreams are but Vapors of some Thoughts mislayd Still'd and retorted without Reasons Aid Poysons of Quiet by ill mixtures made Desp. Awake I saw and heard his bleeding Ghost And of this Barbarous Fact thy Tartars boast And didst not thou strive to conceal it most Tam. aside Too strong Presumptions make Denyals vain Truth is not seen by Judgements prepossest No more than Light by Eyes with Rheume opprest I 'll try what use of Fiction may be made Then tell me Madam how has Fame traduâ—'d me Desp. Fierce Hypocrite when thou hadst him deny'd The sight of me whom he lov'd more than Life Or Health or Fame tho at thy mercy Cag'd A Generous Disdain fill'd his brave mind He call'd thee wandring Tartar Conquering Begger That Want not Honor forc'd thy starveling Soul To prey abroad and urge thee to a Fortune Thou ne'r desir'dst nor dream'd of strait his Keeper By thy fierce Frowns encourag'd gave the Prince A fatal blow Who falling down Is this thy Zeal he cry'd This thy Devotion Tamerlane and dy'd Tam. It was my Zeal and my Devotion too If not to Heav'n or Nature yet to You Fame the forerunner of your Conquering Eyes That wand'ring Tell-tale made my Heart your Prize What Interest or Safety ne'r cou'd woo The dawning of your Light forc'd me to do What may your Form full Risen tempt me to Rivals on Earthly Thrones may claim a Station But Violence for Heav'n is soft persuasion Beauty belongs to him that Worships best Exalts her Deity above the rest Tramples on Law Religion for her sake Desp. Impious wretch must I thy Crimes partake No Tyrant â—twas Ambition mov'd the Wheel And ground those Reasons back'd and Edg'd with Steel Tam. Accuse Tyrannic Heav'n that made you bright Accuse those killing Eyes not my weak Sight I did a Crime without my own consent And Justice pardons where there 's no intent When Love commands who dare's be Innocent Blame not the Ship that falls foul on another But blame the Winds that blow it Neighbourly Streams Keep in their Destin'd bounds till Showrs from Heav'n Constrain 'em to invade the Friendly Earth With as unquestion'd Power As that which gives it from the highest Cause Celestial Visions cancel written Laws Desp. If Man may act what e'r he 's mov'd to do The same Man is both Judge and Party too Bodies and Souls are so in Marriage ty'd Their distinct Issues hardly are descry'd But well known Body is the surer side Inspired thoughts may flow from Heav'n or Hell But Aethiops Bastards will their Fathers tell Charge not the Gods with thy Infernal Sins Murder and Piety cannot pass for Twins Tam. I urg'd their Power but now defend their Justice Impartial Heav'n not robbing all the rest Cou'd not permit by one to be posiest So great a Joy so long Too happy Bajazet's compendious youth Which bath'd in Blisses envy'd by the Gods When for one hour of Heav'n in your fair Arms I 'de forfeit all my Right to endless Ages But if you call a Crime what Heav'n commands Tho clear'd above yet I have lost my Cause In vain the Prisoner pleads his Innocence who 'd rather dye than anger his Accuser Then if my death can expiate that Act That controverted Crime 'twixt Heav'n and you Here take this Sword Come pierce this Amorous Brest Th' Impression made by your fair hand will be Softer than down of Swans than Showers of Roses Softer than Rain on Wool whose patient Fleeces Take without noise or murmur Heav'nly Blows Softer than gentle Air that breaths from any Lips but yoursâ— Returns of Passion Sighs and mutual Vows Joys and Confessions of Intranced Lovers Desp. I 'll keep thee for a greater punishment Nor the slow Tortures of just Heaven prevent Tam. Assume Heav'ns power once more and punish Laws Correct the Crime of which you was the Cause In you 't is Justice and I 'll ne'r repine To Love to Sin to Dye by Power Divine Ah sweet occasion of my Pains Cou'd all my Pleasures all my Gains Empire surrendred but contract Pardon for one resistless Act Cou'd my afflicted Soul but have One Tear to sanctisie my Grave I 'de leave the World and dying boast That Pearl wou'd pay for Asia lost Desp. Who can believe so false and â—iercea Creature Transcendent Prince of Hypocrites Tam. She 's â—reater Who kills and tramples Mankind at her Feet And yet appears so harmless and so sweet Desp. No Tyrant live because I loath thy Offering Repent and wash thy Venom out with Tears I wou'd not send the Gods a Present out of season An unclean Sacrifice the worst of all the Herd Thy Sorrow seems the truer 'cause 't is just And Penitence prevails with Powers above I can afford'my Pity not my Love. Tam. Then Life is given me but Love deny'd A wondrous motive for that daring Deed Dy'd Bajazet for this that I might Reign Then I am guilty take o'r rated Life Sinc Villany is grown so poor and cheap To take a Bribe from any thing but Love. Cleanse not a House on purpose to pull down Wash not a bloody Garment but to wear it Nor let a Sully'd Coin that wears th' Impression of Your Heav'nly Face be scour'd and brightned only To throw away By Mahomet and by his Master too Give me thy Love and the
whole World is thine That great share I possess that lesser left unconquer'd To exercise my Arms inspiâ—'d by thee My Fifty Realms with all the Lives within 'em Men Women Children Beasts and every Inch Of ground they feed on in that spacious Pasture My Seas with all their Fish my Air My Birds my Clouds And if the Sun and Moon and Stars receive Their Alâ—ment from my exhaled Empire Then they are mine and them I will give thee too And thou shalt call me Niggard when I have done Unless I gain more Crowns to strow thy feet with Desp. Well I 'll consider twice 'fore I undo Thee And All the World by this large Donative If you are Real you may hope for Love. Tam. My Word on Earth my Oath 's a Law Above Ex. leading her The Scene the outside of the Fort. Alarms and Fighting behind the Scenes Enter Zeylan Zey All 's lost but thus far I 've escap'd 'T were better T' have leâ—t all to the Mercy of Generous Tamerlane But now 't's too late Yet I am more concern'd for my Philarmia Than Life or Fame or Liberty or Country Enter Six or Seven Soldiers Ha! what surpriz'd 1 Sold. Stand Traytor yield 2 Sold. Deliver Zey Lives are not sold so cheaply Fights and is disarm'd Enter Philarmia Amazon-like disguis'd Phil. What shall I do there is no quarter given My Zeylan will be slain Cou'd I but meet him Oh Heav'ns he 's yonder ready to be Butcher'd Runs upon the Soldiers Hold Soldiers hold I 've Orders from Axalla To save his Life Hold hold he is my Prisoner Now with a Fiction will I try his Faith. Is your Name Zeylan Zey Yes Phil. Then Sir you owe this Favor to a Lady Whose Interest prevail'd above the Orders of the Emperor The fair Irene who commanded me To seek you out and save you Zey That life so spar'd shall be enjoy'd no longer Than till she calls it back and still employ'd In the most rigorous of her Commands Phil. But Sir such Favors come not but on Terms The Princess loves you Zey It is her Mercy sure but not her Love. Phil. No no she Loves you and with Justice asks Your Love without a Rival Zey Nor is it fit that so Divine a Princess Shou'd be the sharer only of a Herat But the intire Possessor Alass my humble Thoughts dust never aim At such high flights but if I ever fix 'em My Faithful Heart is not to be divided In worthless Rags and made a sport for Winds But Consecrated to one Deity Love and Religion both admit no more Phil. So so he yields Oh the perfidious Wretch Then shall I bring her back the welcom message Of your true Love Zey That 's too presumptuous But of Gratitude Of unrestrain'd Devotion to her Service Which neither Death nor Dangers shall deter From Desperate Obedience Phil. Crafty Traytor He dares not say he loves her but 't is plain I 'll probe him â—eeper She hears you have a Mistress call'd Philarmia Zey I had but Heav'n alone can tell if now I have heâ— Phil. And did not she deserve your dearest Thoughts Zey She was or is what nothing can be more Phil. And is this all False Man Now to the quick You must renounce her or your Life Be brief Zey Renounce her What shall I renounce the Gods Forswear Eternal Joys and blessed Mansions Cut off my hopes from Heav'ns Seraphic Pleasures Then here resume your mighty Gift My Life has ever been a Slave to Honor Shall it not serve a Nobler Master Love Not all the Tortures Crosses Scourges Chainsâ— Those double Deaths all the refin'd Inventions That Witty Malice makes for Misery Not all the Thunders Lightnings Earthquakes Floods Terrestrial Terrors or Celestial Fits The Frowns of Angry Heav'n or Smiles of Beauty Shall force me to abjure such glorious hopes Or turn Apostate to Divine Philarmia Phil. Then take thy Life and thy Philarmia too Discovers her self Thou justest dearest Soul. Zey Blest Image art thou here Oh may I trust My Senses or thy Word My dear Deceiver Dear desperate self-destroyer Phil. But thy Preserver Why did not I foresee that I shou'd save thee Which is the better Soldier now Zey Philarmia Oh thou art full of Fame thou may'st retire Like a rich lazy General Phil. I 'll consider But here 's no time to pour our Passions out The Army 's coming this way I 'll go back And stop the Soldiers from pursuing thee Go seek thy safety in some lonesome Cave Then send me word and I will find thee out I 'll take my leave of the Victorious World To share in thy Distresses Zey Stay a little Oh stay awhile Who knows when we shall meet Phil. Lovers in absence have delights peculiar If nought but what is present gives us Pleasure What Joy have Parents when their Children wandeâ— In prosperous Voyages What Joy have Princeâ— In Victories remote What Joy have Usurers When Mony travels to enrich it self Then bless thy self with Hope sweetest of Passions Which Absence gives us Presence robs us of Zeyl. Feed me not with imaginary Joys The envious World with its ill-natur'd Tricks And Accidental Crosses may divide us The Gods themselves desire not men shou'd have Such filling Joys as thou and I possess Lest they should slight eternal Happiness Oh let us part no more how can I leave thee Phil. Well well then I 'm content let me be caught In conference with thee let me be slaughter'd Let me be torn alive since Zeylan wills it Come let 's begin to talk Trumpets sound Zey Oh hark the Trumpet Hast thou hence like Lightning Why should I make thee lose thy precious Life For saving mine Farewel Farewel my Dearest If I go with thee we shall both be slain Phil. Parting or Death which is the greater Pain Ex. severallâ— Tamerlane and Despina sitting upon Thrones An Antic Dance and a SONG GReatness I give thee my excuse For thee I have no leisure Nor Care what Bus'ness can produce For Life's too short for Pleasure Count Griefs Diseases Love's disdains What need these Artificial Pains Nature invites us to a Treat And gives us but short time to stay While Coxcombs Carve and Wise Men Eat Death the close Waiter takes away Count Griefs c. Tam. Now Madam I 'm in Heav'n my Soul rides high And treads th' unyielding Air nothing can sink What you have rais'd so vastly Where have I slept all those deluding years And dream'd of Joys but never tasted any Till this transporting Deifying minute How have I toil'd turn'd upside down the World Begging Mens Voices to be counted happy And at this Fairy Feast have still rose hungry Drunk with Ambition I saw all things double But when I came to taste the Airy Joys They fled the feeling now my Soul runs over I am all Joy all Plenty all Abundance Desp. But these imagin'd Joys may come far short Of expectation cloy you to repentance And then you 'l curse
Exit Guard. Now is the time to put a period to This languishing Distemper flattering Fever This merry Madness this Apulian Sting That makes men rage in measures now I 'le shake off This rude Companion Love that blinds Men first Then gives them blows in jest that smart in earnest Enter Guard with Zeylan disguis'd Zey Am I betray'd or no Here stands the Prince But where 's my Guide I know not 'T is no matter I 'll make a bold Attack and lose my Life in 't Tam. Let all withdraw and leave me with this Stranger Come Friend draw nearer view me more exactly And tell me if your Partner in Affliction Has kept his Word Am I forsworn or no Am not I Tamerlane Zey Death 't is the same Shining in all his Glory What means this Riddle Tam. Nay fear not to come near me Zey 'T is not Fear but Wonder Tam. Here take this Dagger strike this open Brest But yet before you do this welcom Act Here is the Door you must escape at to The River's side where lies a Boat prepar'd To take in the next Comer which will strait Row you to Zeylan's Citadel before The Deed be known and here 's a Cabinet Not very weighty but worth many Millions The Spoils of Turky Persia Aegypt China Muscovy Syria Afric Indostan If thou get'st clear from hence thou hast enough To purchase thee a Kingdom Zey Sure Fame has Not â—latter'd him he 's a Man of wond'rous Virtue But Thrones are not exempt from fatal Sorrows Can I consent to kill my Benefactor Tam. There 's nothing thou canst do that can deserve So great Rewards but this Alass I 'm weary Of Life my Empire is too great a Burden Without the over-weight of private Griefs I never yet refus'd the thing was ask'd me Nor ever sent a sad Man from my presence And shall I be deny'd so small so just a Favor Zey My Vengeance fails me Most Heroiâ— Prince I cannot guide this Dagger to your Brest I beg but one Request in satisfaction Of all the Wrongs the World or you have done me Tam. Refuse not this to me and I 'll refuse thee Nothing that my unbounded Empire yields Zey Here on my knees I 'll try your Virtue first I beg Sir a young Beardless Captain 's Life That is condemn'd to dye for letting Zeylan Escape that was his Prisoner Tam. I grant it freely Zey Why then as freely here I give you Zeylan pulls off his disguise With all my Forces all my Reputation Acquir'd in Arms and lye still at your Mercy But know the weighty Reason she 's my Mistress In that disguise No smothering Revenge Nor over-looking Envy nor vile Treason Mov'd me to this but her dear Life endanger'd Urg'd me to undertake your Death my own The ruin of the World that my fair Saint Might fly out in the merciful Confusion Tam. But art thou Zeylan Welcom noble Prince Embraces him Prop to thy falling Country China's Redeemer Can there be so much Virtue in the World And Love the Cause dire Love that monstrous Passion 'T is I that am thy Prisoner here I yield thee My Sword with all its Conquests all its Glories With more serene and unconcern'd a Freedom Than Virgins do their Beauties Saints their Souls To Heaven or Hymen but besure thou give No Qâ—â—rter take my Life for if thou spare it Perhaps I 〈◊〉 resume the rest Thou art The â—ittest man to execute this Sacred Act Oh now 't is Justice that before was Fury Zey Pray Sir be pleased to call first to your Guards Her precious Life 's at stake Tam. Guards make hast Carry my Pardon to the sentenc'd Captain That let Prince Zeylan scape Now Sir To my Request be speedy and begone With all your Treasure lest the Soldiers Fury O'rwhelm you Come ease me quickly Zey I have not Sir been bred in Foreign Courts Nor can I talk of high-flown Rules of Honor Those nice distinctionss fram'd in Virtues School But I have some rude Sparks of Nature show me By their dim light How great a Monster is Ingratitude Tam. Thou art ungrateful then if thou deny me this So just Request since I have answer'd thine Death is to me a greater Gift than Life Is to thy Mistress Is there a greater good Than to be lull'd asleep from endless griefs And wake no more to find ' em Thou art unjust too to thy Native Country Nor canst thou answer this to Heav'n or Earth Nor will the Ghost of all thy slaughter'd Friends Let thee sleep quiet till they are Reveng'd They 'l haunt thee tear thee in ten Thousand pieces And send a Sampler of thee to each Corner Of the wide Mischief-studying Earth to teach The World the Fate of Traytors to their Country Zey I never heard Great Tamerlane abus'd Heav'ns favors to excess but his kind Sword Still carv'd out work for his diffusive Mercy The petty Wranglers of the Universe Chose rather to submit to his Just Sceptre Than to subdue each other Shall I deprive the World of all its Lustre The Ornament of Story Task of Fame Extinguish the great Light graces and guides it And by your Glory raise my Infamy Urge me not to a Crime your self would fly from Tam. Is there such Honour in the World besides How many Climates have I pass'd and now At last have found it in this Savage Corner Sure 't is Instill'd by Nature not by Precept 'T is time to dye now for a weighty Reason Thou hast out-done me in my own Pretensions And rais'd the price of Honor to that rate ' Twou'd ruine me and all my Conquer'd Earth To rise to that vast purchase Oh the Mark 's too high For me to reach I 'll quit the Field In Virtue and return to Tyranny Kill me or else thy Mistress dyes Zey kneeling The Gods forbid Oh look upon her first and she will melt you You cannot hurt so sweet an Innocence I know you cannot Nature will not bear it She 'l smile away your Anger or she 'l thaw Your frozen heart t' a Torrent with her Tears She is the Joy of Nature Pride of Heav'n The Idol of all Eyes that e'r beheld her Tygers wou'd lose their Fierceness at her sight And can Mankind hold Weapons to destroy her Oh save her save her save her Virtuous Prince And let my Life redeem her Tam. Rise brave Friend No both shall live together and live happy I take delight in the content of all men Less dear than thee tho I have none my Self Well I 'll not press thee 'gainst the sense of Honor And Nature too I know too well the weight They bear in well-born Souls A thousand ways There are to the great Joy that thou deny'st me I 'll wait a little longer spread my Sails To the next Wind to wast me to my Port Where I will Anchor and Lanch out no more But to return th' Heroic Resignation I make thee King of China Zey Vice-Roy rather When
search a little The great Disturber of my injur'd Soul Then rage again till Fury bids you cease Sir can you spare no Cordial for my Fears No Balm to stop the Issue of my Tears Or must I be the Fountain of your Court To weep in Artful forms to make you Sport Tam. Dry Clouds and empty Griefs long hide the day The Dismal'st Vapors weep themselves away Those Eyes will shine again or Heav'n decay Desp. Talk not of Lustre Sir restore my Light And give me the lov'd Object of my Sight Tam. She knows not of his death what need I name it By the quick notice on 't and his hard usage She 'l think I caus'd it but I will prepare her Aside As if she made the most severe Conjectures Well Madam none with Reason can deny Their own request Suppose adjudg'd to dye A Prisoner was at whose Obnoxious birth The Squint-ey'd Stars shot vengeance on the Earth Heav'ns Fiery Flail the Whip for restive Mortals To make 'm draw through Flames in Yokes of Iron The Mildew of your Hopes Seed of your Fear And wou'd you in exchange that Prisoner spare Desp. Were he the greatest Monster Nature teem'd From her erroneous Womb Satan redeem'd And once again relapsing to his Nature Plotting to cheat the winking wise Creator The Plague-sore of the World Factor to Fate Bloody as reason of Usurping State Or if to save his Life I lost my own My Bajazet should live nay live without a Throne But oh Tam. Then here your Captive stands Chain'd fast in Cupids thin tenacious Bands Strong tho unseen like those of Fate I feel Love's Airy Nets those Cobwebs made of Steel Pity the Wretch whom all extreams do move Who cannot hope for live without your Love. Desp. Dost thou abuse me too thou needst not wear Such study'd Cruelty to mock Despair I came to tast not swallow Candyed Poysons Curious to know how many Sulphurous Devils That weak and leaky Vessel Man Hoop'd with Hypocrisie might hold who is A Pastboard Cask a very Sâ—eve to Virtue Tyrant I come not to divert my Fate But to chase on and scarifie thy Hate Phlegmatic â—iend Dutch Devil dost thou think Thy Murders can be stifled Gods can Wink When such great Stars as Bajazet add Light To Heav'n and make thy Crimson'd Earth more bright Hid in their blackness dost thou think thy Deeds Thy Cloven Foot peeps through thy Hermits Weeds Tam. How quickly she had notice of his death Desp. Curs'd be thy ill-got Empire curs'd thy Race Live to its own destruction thy disgrace And when thy Rebel Offspring is subdu'd Thy trembling hand in thy own blood embru'd Then may thy passions war against each other May Lust and Pride the Idols of the Great Command still contraries and mock thy Prayers Torn with wild Horses of cross-drawing Cares Those Brazen Bulls due to their Ingineers May Hopes spring up and still be choak'd with Fears And may'st thou always aym and ever miss I wish thee a long life but such as this Tam. Pray give me leave Desp. Nor dye thou by thy Sorrows Sword or Laws For I would have thee live without a Cause May still some Clouds of hopeless Passion blind When Honour with its Sunshine cheers thy Mind Ne'r mayest thou Love but find the Women chast Nor e'r be proud but by scorn'd Love abas'd And when thy slie misfortunes flatter most May each nak'd Beauty prove a horrid Ghost May Schreech Owls make thy Music Toads thy Pictures Thorns and ill Conscience stuff thy Beds of down And may thy Torments never find a date Till Heav'n wants power to Plague or Hell to Hate Ex. Tam. Bless me what Thunder and what Lightning too Rag. Oh Sir she is the haughtiest and the wyliest Dame That ever liv'd Tam. Yet she appear'd so sweet so innocent Who look'd for Storms from so serene a Sky Good Gods what Charms Her very Frowns are Philtres Her Treaty undermin'd my tender part This noble Rage fires and blows up my heart Rag. And 't was a just one too Have you not us'd Her Husband like a wild Beast and incag'd him Made him your Footstool worse Indignities Than death it self deny'd her to come near him And since as she thinks caus'd him to be murder'd Tam. Heav'n knows I knew not of his death but grieve for 't Rag. And I know too but what can salve the wild Objections of a blear-ey'd Jealous mind To whom well polish'd Truth looks most like Varnish And Arguments serve but for Aggravations Most Men believe you caus'd it and 't is talk'd of For 't is the Fate of wise Men to be thought To act what Interest not Justice bids them And Histories do oftner palliate Crimes Than publish 'em There is more Wickedness Than all the World 's aware of or you either Aside To clear the Truth is now impossible Since she has found you love her which she 'l judge To be the cause more than State-Rivalship But wou'd you take my Judgement Sir I 'de own it And say I did it for her Love not Empire Tam. What! Shall I own a Lye and wound my Honor Rag. What by a little Love-talk blown away With the next Wind Ten Lyes to every Truth Where he that talks the most still thinks the least on 't Love is a Lye it self there 's no such Passion And Truth to Women makes men most suspected Because 't is rarely practic'd No Woman takes her self to be a Monster Yet she wou'd be so if her Eyes were Stars Her Lips of Roses and her Face of Lillies Why Traps were made for Foxes Gins for Hareâ— Lime-twigs for Birds and Lyes Oaths for Women Tam. Thou' rt a rare Artist in Love's Mysteries But then suppose this shou'd incense her more Rag. Why then 't is but t'unswear the same things o'r Again How can a credulous Woman Discern a Truth from Falshood Her Reason yields and Passion takes the Sway Then swear there are no Stars because 't is Day That hides them all Truth is asham'd to stay And dares not show her naked open brest To an excuse that 's rich and finely drest Tam. Oh brave Ragalzan thou canst turn and wind A Woman like an Engine Rag. They 're no more Manag'd as easily by dexterous Men Work up their Passions then they are on Horseback Without a Bridle drive 'em where you please As we are to the Gods so they to us Are meer Machines Tam. I such Machines as Ships that drown their Sailors Such Brutes as break their Masters Necks Well I may use some Art yet can not travel Far from the Road of Honor But I am Rough and ne'r was made for Courtship Rag. Great Souls are fit for all things Try your Rhetoriâ— Which never fail'd you yet to win Mankind Woman is easier gain'd Nature's your Party And lays 'em open to the least attack Exit Tam. 'T is hard when a Man 's own Wit runs so low that he is forc'd to let in the Tide
th'Inchantress and the Syren Tam. Oh never never I cou'd gaze away My Life upon these over-powring Charms This all-supplying Face till Death did fix me In this Triumphant posture far more glorious Thaâ— all the Statues of the Ancient Heroes Who fool'd away their Lives for less rewards Oh I am all content all Wealth all Pleasure Well Madam have you thought of your demand That I may pay my Vows and that great Bond Drawn betwixt Love and Beauty that 's Recorded In the Eternal Registers be cancel'd Desp. I have Sir but you 'l think it is too much To grant Alass my humble worthless Person Can never merit such a mighty Gift What is there in me that cou'd prompt you to So kind so rash a Vow You only meant To Conquer and delude a credulous Woman Tam. By all the Oaths that I have sworn before And if thou urgest by ten Thousand more There 's nothing in my power that I 'll resuse thee Desp. Then Sir deliver up to me your Daughter Bound in Chains your dear and fair Irene Tam. My Daughter bound in Chains She is no Thief Nor Murderer what Offence has she committed Against your Self or Me Pray ask again Command th' Assyrian Persian Grecian Empires I have enough besides I 'll make thee Greater Than Ninus Cyrus or than Alexander All three united and yet less than me But having me thou' rt greater than us all The Emperâ—rs of the World are but thy Slaves When I am thine But why this vain request Take the four Monarchs Lands They are Confiscated and given to me For Treason 'gainst their Maker But why my Pious dearest Child What is she guilty of that can deserve Such Ignominious fatal reparation Desp. I see great Monarchs can dispence with Vows Such Fetters are not made for boundless Souls Farewell most mighty Prince Live long and fortunate without Despina Exit Tam. Ha! what a change is this How soon my Joy's Unravel'd and my Soul from topmost Stories Sunk to the bottom of most damn'd Despair Wound up so high to make her fall the greater What have I done deliver'd up my daughter To certain Death Heav'n what a Conflict's this Not all the Beauties of the Universe Shall make me yield to so abhorr'd an Act But I have Vow'd But 't was a Lover's Vow Whose Perjuriesure laugh'd at No there is No jesting with Divinity But how Comes Tamerlane reduced to this necessity Why Tamerlane's in Love. A goodly Precedent For Envious Posterity to discant on A fine conclusion of a Glorious Life Oh Heav'n the Guide and Prospect of my Actions Let thy kind Thunder end the shameful doubt Destroy me at this Moment let me tread No longer these inglorious steps nor dash Thy unexampled Favors on the Ground By such a childish Act. Love keep thy distance But Love now fights under Religion's Banner And makes it's Folly Sacred Death must prevent This loathed Act and expiate th' Intent Exit An Astrologer Axalla Irene a Captain Thunder Lightning Rainbows inverted a bloody Arm Comet c. Iren. Oh Heav'ns the dreadful sight 'T is Doomsday coming Ax. Ha! Nocturnal Rainbows Inverted too Reflexions answering not the form of Luminous Bodies And such a Comet as puts out the Stars Cease you bold peepers into Nature's Bowels To give the World glossie but fading Reasons Nature this day has made a Fool of Art. Cap. Methinks the Sky wears a more gaudy Dress Than her old glistering Garniture of Stars There is some mighty Revel sure above Hark how they stamp as if they were dancing Jigs Ax. How dare you make such Comments on these Wonders Cap. Faith Innocence is fearless as 't is free Tho the Frame crack the Splinters shall not fright me Shou'd the great Gods that toss these Fiery Orbs Like Tennis-balls for Heav'nly recreation Let slip some weighty Globe through careless Fingers Upon this Head the Accident 's prepar'd for Ax. Well said brave youth if with respect to Heav'n Ha! what means this A bloody Hand and Writing Cap. Scriveners in Heav'n then there 's some hopes for Usurers Ax. The hand of Heav'n is drawing some Indentures Altering Estates in the poor under-World Of all the sights this does perplex me most Pray Sir your Judgement 'T is an Ancient Hand I cannot read Astro. No wonder Sir 't has not been us'd In China these ten Thousand years Ax. Noble Tradition Astro. But the Words are these Kiungsi Honan Which is Interpreted Death Division Some Great Man dyes and leaves his vast Dominions To dubious Heirs Ax. Nothing more likely Sir He that grasps more than 's Handful loses all A lucky Guess turns to a Prophesie Enter Tamerlane Tam. I 've urg'd to have my Sentence chang'd in vain Told her the Truth but why should she believe me Shou'd the Sun change his Course men might suspect The Day-light The Pole Star if unâ—ix'd absolves the Sailor From farther Faith. Oh the vile Rogue Ragalzan Ha! what a glorious Night after the Storm I think a Comet and an Arm from Heav'n Come Vengeance come 't is time that thou wert come Welcom dear Comet welcom bloody Paw Cou'd I but reach thee I 'de shake hands with thee Why all this noise and ne'r a flaming Dart To fix me dead I thought the Gods durst strike When they did threaten Was there ever Mortal That more abus'd their Favors study'd Acts More vile to rouse up Heav'nly Indignation By your Immortal Selves if you neglect Your Office I will snatch away Revenge The Jewel of your Crown and put an end With my own hands to this Inglorious Life Ire Strange Sights i' th' Air they say foretel great Changes What will these Rebels never make an end Good Father stay at home and tell the Stories Of your great Deeds to your admiring Friends But go to Wars no more Leave off a winning Gamester One day you take a Town and make a Governour The next you win a Country make a King These pay some little Chief-rent to their Lord Enjoy the rest themselves You take from some And give it back to others Why might not less Than all the World serve one Man's turn Tam. How wisely thou dost weigh the Trifles of the World Ire And now you sigh the Earth lies heavy on you Conquer no more or let the weighty Ball Roll off as it came on Tam. Oh my Irene 'T is thou dost cause my Grief my dear disturber Ire Alass wherein have I offended you Perhaps my want of Duty was the cause But sure I meant it not If to rejoyâ—e at all your Victories If to fall out with all that lessen you If to dissolve in Tears when you 're not well Or have your Peace disturb'd with Martial Cares If to fall into Swoons when you 're in danger Be not to love you then I love you not Weeps Tam. Ah cruel Girl begon I cannot bear thee For every look from thee strikes Death into me How much more happy art thou now than I Short-sighted
Innocence thou hast no Prospect Of this thy Danger the sad thought of which Racks my poor Soul and cuts me up alive And tears my Bowels out before my Face Iren. Good Sir what moves you to this fatal sadness Tam. Ah! were it fit that thou should'st know my Sorrows Yet Children should not know their Parents Shame Ire I know your Troubles and have heard your Vow And I can satisfie your nicest Scruples Heav'n be my Witness I Had rather go to death to give you ease Than to th' Embraces of a dear-lov'd Hero Whose Wit cou'd charm whose Valor cou'd secure me Whose Beauty cou'd inflame my frozen Brest Rather than to my Nuptials with Axalla My Refignation will be your discharge To Heav'n and Earth Injuries are Rewards When they are begg'd for Tam. Greater then wou'd be Thy kindness and my shame shou'd I desert thee Ire But Sir consider how the World 's Amaz'd And Nature 's frighted to see you disorder'd Do we not blow up worthless Cottages To save contiguous Palaces from bold And disrespectful Flames And shall the World want Order and direction From your great Soul if mine can stop its passage To other Orbs and make the Earth my Debtor Tam. So young so wise Why sure thou art Inspir'd Thy Soul 's upon the Wing and sees much farther Than the unfledg'd Companions of her years Ill Omen of thy Fate Thy Soul 's too ripe To stay long in the Shell Oh now I fear thee Ire What if I might have liv'd some harmless years Of Ignorance and Youth Yet if you please To pluck off this green Fruit I will not say Untimely when you call sor't to content Some longing Palate 'T will not be harsh to me if not to you You gave me Life and 't is but to restore it To pay a debt which you contracted for me Let me be just to Nature if not you Tam. No more no more sweet merciful Redeemer Why art thou come to scrue up my Aâ—â—ctions Oh every Word from thee against thy self Does wound my Soul more than ten Thousand Daggers Dear cruel Orator why dost thou plead Against the Innocent to save the Guilty He that does spare my life 's the worst of Murderers And thou deserv'st to dye by speaking for me I cannot bear thy sinful Eloquence Let not so sweet an Angel plead for Satan Oh leave me to the Furies they 're my Council Exeunt Re-enter Tamerlane with Axalla Tam. In what condition is the Enemy Ax. Now you speak like your self a watchful Monarch Tam. May not Prince Zeylan once again surprize us Before the general Assault be given Ax. He may Sir but I have intrench'd the Army With greater safety doubled all the Guards About your sacred Person Tam. Wondrous well But then give order strait to all the Rounds To keep a striâ—â—er Watch that whosoever Dares stir abroad to night be shot at without mercy And let it be proclaim'd without delays Secureness more than Cowardise betrays Exit Ax. And yet pray Heav'n he meditate no mischief In mighty Souls Passion 's not soon supprest Like wounded Whales they struggle till they dye By their impatience they increase the smart Provoke their Pains and vex a harmless Dart Tossing the mighty Mass till they 're on ground Their Rage more fatal than the little Wound Exit ACT. IV. SCENE I. A Guard of Musâ—uetiers Axalla and Irene behind Enter Tamerlane disguâ—â—'d Tam. SLave to my Passions Scandal to my self Here stand the 〈◊〉 of great Tamerlane Right reverend 〈◊〉 Fine 〈…〉 Poor Thunder-blasted Oak sometime the Glory now The just reproach of all the neighb'ring Shrubâ— But hold Self-murder that Inâ—ernal Crime Which all the Gods level their Thunder at Why 't is an Act the Gods admire and envy Because they cannot do 't and where 's the wrong May not I mow my Grass reap my own Corn Cut my own Woods lay down this load of Life Without Injustice or to Gods or Men Self-preservation Nature's Highest Law Is best obey'd when our Sublimer part Tir'd out with Troubles and chain'd up with Griefs Strives to shake off her fleshy Mancles And fly to Nobler Dwellings Fine Quirk to salve the Conscience to let others kill me Well 't is all one as if I kill'd my self And that 's no harm since I 'm no more my self The Magistrate in me destroys the Malefactor And this form pleases best a comlier shape Of Death Ax. 'T is as I guess'd I know 't is he by his Majestie Meeâ—â— His piercing Eyes that use to strike Men speechless Tho Suns are Clouded yet the Day-light shows When they 're ascended in our Hemisphere Ire Oh Heav'ns It is the Emperor I 'll go to him Ax. Oh by no means I 've told the the Guards already Enter Zeylan disguiz'd Zey I hope 't is not too late tho time is precious Now my Philarmia's acting her last part My Trumpet saw her led away to Judgement By this time she 's condemned perhaps led out To Execution yet if it were so How comes the World to be no more disorder'd No Earthquake no Eclips Convulsion Blindness Can Nature keep an equal Pulse or have A healthful look in such an Agony When she that is the Life of Nature's dying Ah poor Philarmia must thou lose thy Life For sparing minâ— Unhappy headstrong Girl Well thus â—ar I have got into their Camp With this Disguise I 'll find some other meanâ— To see this high and mighty God-like Man And with this Dagger search his haughty Heart And try if it be mortal so prevent Her Death by the Confusion tho I lose My Life to do 't or perish all together Tam. All my Commands are lost there 's none will shoot I whom so many Millions late obey'd Am slighted scorn'd Have I no Friend nor Foe To put a stop to my declining Honor 'T is hard Rogues Traitors fawning Slaves To the Coward Tamerlane Now I cou'd wish For raging Bajazet to be my Orator 1 Sold. 'T is the Emperor as the General told us 2 Sold. My Life 't is he by 's Voice Camrade my Powder 's wet 3 Sold. And my hand shakes I cannot hold my Arms. Tam. What Am I yet contemn'd Slaves Cowards Dogs Whom do you guard here wand'ring Tamerlane That Renegade Cut-throat glorious Thief Whom Fortune meant the Gallows gave the Throne to Zey What a bold Fellow 's this that rails against His Prince and no man shoots him sure 't is some Discontented Votary of China that contemns The Conqueror's Laws This Fellow may assist in my design Goes up to Tam. Tam. Ha! a Spy o'th'Enemy's Zey Methinks I see Some discontent writ on thy brow Art thou So weary of thy Life to rail upon The Emperor to his Guards Tam. I that I am And I would have him kill'd Zey And so wou'd I For stronger Reasons cou'd I pass his Guards Tam. Merciful Providence that brought thee hither My dear chance Friend I will assist thee in thy brave design And