is' t that we fight VVith Lybian Lyons Or Hyrcanian Beares which grinde us daily in their ravenous teeth The Tyrant as it were destructions Engineer helps Nature to destroy the worlds frame quickly Cob. Alas my Lord that needs not every day is a sufficient helper to decay Great workman who art sparing in thy strength to bring things to perfection and to oreturn all thy best works thou usest suddaine force when man 's an Embrio and first conceived how long 't is ere he sees his native light Then born with expectation for his growth tenderly nourisht carefully brought up grown to perfection what a little thing serves to call on his suddain ruining Laz. Come Cobelitz ' mongst those demolisht stones we 'll sit as Hecuba at those Trojan walls our teares shall be false glasses to our eyes through these we 'l look and think we yet may see our stately Pinacles and strong founded holds that which one hour can delapidate one age can scarce repaire Col. No sir for nothing's hard to Nature when she meanes for to consume A thousand Oakes which time hath fixt i' th earth as Monuments of lasting memory are in a moment turn'd to ashes all things that rise slowly take a suddain fall Laz. What course now Cobelitz must we stil be yoakt to misery and murder We scarce have room upon our bodyes to receive more wounds and must we still oppose our selves to more Cob. Yes We are ready still a solid mind must not be shak't with every blast of wind Pollux nor Hercules had none other art to get them Mansions in the Spangl'd heavens then a true firm resolve th' Adriatike Sea shall from his currents with tempestuous blasts be sooner mov'd than vertue from its aime Let us but think when we so many see enjoying greater quiet than our themselves how many have endur'd more misery Ilion Ilion what a fate hadst thou How fruitful wert thou in matter for thy foe Thus we 'll delude our grief make our self glad to think of miseries that others had Laz. Ay Captain ay they that furnish thee with sentences of comfort never saw their Cities burnt their Countries desolate 'T is easie for Physicians for to tell advice to others when themselves are well Cob. Tush tush my Lord there 's on our side we know one that both can and will our weake hands guide one that will strike and thunder Gyant then look for a dart we must not appoint when mean while help to convey this burden hence Turk though thy tyranny deny us graves corruption will give them spite of thee Nor do our corps such Tombs and Cavernes need for our own flesh still our own graves do breed And whom the earth receives not when they die heavens vault overwhelms them so their tomb 's ith'skie Exeunt with a dead Trunk Actus 4. Scena 4. Enter Aladin as flying an arrow through his arm wounded in his forehead his shield stuck with darts With him two Nobles Alad. Besieged on every side Iconium taken Entrencht within my foes my self must lie wrapt in my Cities ruine Turks come on 1. Nob. Nay but my Lord mean you to meet your death let 's hast our flight and trust more to our feet then words or hands Alad. Why so much of our blood is already spilt as should the glittering Sun exhale it upward 't would obnubulate It 's luster else to fiery Metors turn some counsel Lords he that 's amidst the Sea when every curled wave doth threat his death yet trusts upon the oares of his own armes and sometime the salt fome doth pity him A VVolf or Lion that hath fild his gorge with bloody prey at last will lie to sleep and the unnaturalst creatures not forget their love to those whom they do know their own My wife 's his daughter since we cannot stand his fury longer she shall swage his wrath The boysterous Ocean when no winds oppose grows calm revenge is lost when 't hath no foes 2. Nob. VVhy then my Lord array your self in weeds of a Petitioner take the Queen along and your two children they may move his eyes for desperate sores aske desperate remedies Ala. Go Lords go fetch some straight O heavens O fortune they that leane on thy crackt wheel and trust a Kingdomes power and domineer in a wall'd Palace let them look on me and thee Carmania greater instances the world affords not to demonstrate the frail estate of proudest Potentates of sturdiest Monarchies high Pinacles are still invaded with the prouder winds they must endure the threats of every blast the tops of Caucasus and Pindus shake with evey crack of thunder humble Vaults are nere toucht with a bolt ambiguous wings hath all the state that hovers over Kings Enter the 2. Nobles with a winding sheet Aladin puts it on I I this vesture sits my misery this badge of poverty must now prevaile where all my Kingdomes power and strength doth fail Why should not a prophetick soul attend on great mens persons and forewarn their ills Raging Bootes doth doth not so turmoile the Lybian ford as Fortune doth great hearts Bellona and Erynnis scourge us on should wars and treasons cease why our own weight would send us to the earth as spreading armes make the huge trees in tempest for to split For as the slaughter-man to pasture goes and drags that Oxe home first whose Bulk is greatest the leane he still le ts feed disease takes hold on bodies that are pampered with best fare so doth all ruine chuse the fairest markes at which it bends and strikes it full of shafts ambition made me now that eminent Butt And I that fell by mine own strength must rise by profest weaknesse Buckets full sink down whilst th' empty dance i' th' ayre and cannot drown Come Lords he out of 's way can never range who is at furthest worst nere finds ill change Actus 5. Scena 1. Enter at one door Amurath with attendants at the other door Aladin his Wife two Children all in white sheets kneel down to Amurath Am. Our hate must not part thus I 'le tell thee Prince thou ' ast kindled violent Aetna in our brest and such a flame is quencht with nought but blood His blood whose hasty and rebellious blast gave life unto the fire should heaven threat us know we dare menace it are we not Amurath whose awful name is even trembled at so often dar'd by Pigmy Christians which we will crush to ayre what haughty thought buzz'd thy presumtuous eares with such vain blasts to puffe thee into such impetuous acts or what durst prompt thee with a thought so frail as made thee covetous of so brave a death as this known hand should cause it know that throat shall feel it strangled with some slave brought up to nought but for an Hangman thy last breath torn from thee by a hand that 's worse than death Alad. Why then I le like the Roman Pompey hide my dying sight scorning
the day before The heavens can do thus too Orest Tush mortals must lean on the sacred heaven with greater trust but it grows far in night come let us in to morrow shall our joyes afresh begin Exeunt Scen. 4. Enter Aegystheus Clytemnestra with naked daggers Agamemnon lying in his bed Egyst O Night now only spread thy sable wings over this climate gather all thy fogs that they may meet and make thy face more black let horrid murder take thee by the hand and come along I have a prodigie equall to all the murders all the blood that hath been shed in all Troyes ten yeeres siege He draws the curtain So snore returned King good Morpheus hang thy leaden weight upon his drowsie eyes let him not wake till he shall see himself drencht in a sea of his vermilion goare Thou do'st no Trojan now no Hector feare but yet I 'll shew thee a new Hector here Clyt. See I 'll turn man too now and to the hate which women beare I 'll add a manly strength my minde does tremble what I meane to do Breath forth your vapor's O ye Stygian powers and listen to a hateful womans prayers Pluto stand by me for to aide my hand I may strike home now and perform an act may make Medea blush she thought not of Could the old dry bon'd dotard ever dreame now he had drawn forth all his strength abroad he could be welcome to lie bed-rid here and supple his numb'd joynts in my fresh armes Egyst Spoke like a queene spoke like Aegystheus love Now great Thyestes Genius which didst prompt me to this act Come be spectator now and see revenge for Athens bloody feast And thou wrong'd Clytemnestra call to mind how his unsatiate lustful loath'd desire doted on every female face he saw rap't the Priests daughter and so brought a plague on all the Grecian hoast Clytem. Yes yes Egyst yes And rap't young Briseis from Achilles bed Crowd all revengful thoughts into this houre now let thy sword let out that lustful blood Egistheus stabs him Wound him Egystheus kill him not at once wee 'll be true Tyrants let him feel he dies Aga. Help Clytemnestra help me my deare Queen Clyt. Yes dotard I will help thee thus yes thus She stabs him Remember the Priests daughter this for her and this for Briseis Agam. See my Grecians see your King which you so gladly entertain'd Sol hide thy self in everlasting night or when thou risest let thy blushing face make these to blush Clytem. Ay so curse on curse on Agam. O Clytemnestra O my once deare wife is this the entertainment that thou giv'st thy new come husband gratulates thou thus my ten yeares absence See these frosty haires would even move Hecuba to pity me Look on these aged armes which in this bed thought to have been bless'd with thy kind imbrace Clytem. Yes mine or Cassandra's old adulterer Agam. Kinsman Aegystheus O my dearest wife whom shall I call me thinks you both are mine What Titius what Megaera hath put on Aegystheus and my Clytemnestra's shapes Aegyst Calst thou us friends Stabs him againe Agam. O be not so and I 'll not call you so Let not your coward weapons wound this head that earst did scorne to shrink at Priams blow O hew me not down thus for my sons sake deare Clytemnestra for Orestes sake Is this the Trojan tale how I should tell that here great Hector slew Antiochus and here that Meontiades was slaine and poor Prothesilaus deare to Lacdamie I thought to tell how these men lost their blood and see my blood is thus let forth at home Aegy. Is your hot blood yet cold Clyt. breath dotard do you shall have gaps enough to let your soul finde a free passage to his deserved flames Agam. No pitty yet O then no pitty light on you nor yours but let dire revenge come learn how she may after handle you O I am drown'd in blood and now must yeild to murderers weapons treason win's the field Alas this coming home hath had small joy Argos hath worser foes then ever Troy Moritur Clyt. Now I am Clytemnestra right now I deserve to add one more to the three Furies now do I count this more then my nuptial night 'T is mine t is thine Egystheus and none else shall share a minute of this right but we Egyst Me thinks I now go equal with the starrs and my proud head toucheth the highest pole Hark hell applauds me and me thinks I heare A noise Thyestes tell me I have done enough And now I kisse my hands whilst yet they beare this tincture on them and embrace my Queen now made my love le ts in this night the Fates have amply fed us with revengeful cates Exeunt Scen. 5. Enter Orestes as from his Bed unbutton'd in slippers a Torch in his hand What horrid dreams affright me I see nought that I should fear and yet me thinks I fear Mine eyes scarce clos'd my busie Fancy saw a sight that dasht all comforts of the day me thought my Father lying in his Tent hateful Achylles for his wronged love comes in with Briseis and they two let forth streams of fresh blood from out his aged side with that his Eccho'd schrich did make me wake but I remembred then he was come home and yet I 'll see him still me thinks I quake Do I still dream Are not mine eyes unclos'd He draws the Curtain Is this a Torch yea 't is it burns I see I am awake do not delude me Night Now stand on tip-toes Atlas lift heaven higher I may have air enough to breath my woes in O let me yet recal thy posting Soul if Charon have not hurried thee too fast if yet thou hast not drunk on Lethes Pool come back and tell me who it is this night hath done this deed far blacker than the night Ah! Art thou fled past call Why thou wert old me thinks thou shouldst not haste so fast away VVas it for this thou swe'tst so oft in Arms Was it for this that the froth swelling foam when thy Ships top toucht heaven and deep plac'd hell that thou must yet escape curl'd Neptune's waves to be a Palinurus in thy shoar there drown thy aged locks in Crimson gore O if one spark yet of thy Princely Soul remaine within this trunk now let it shine and light mine ignorant eyes to reade the names of these night vultures whose devouring bills have made a Titius of thy royall corps who did not feare great Agamemnons sleep Arm arm your selves all you all-potent Gods you which we term just Ministers of heaven shoot forked lightning from the marble poale let the all-seeing eye of heaven shoot flames which may parch up the marrow from their bones should they lie coucht i' th brest o' th' Thunderer or be entrencht with guards of furies fierce heaven earth nor hell should keep them from my sword Dost thou sleep Jove O couldst thou snore so fast and let thy great vicegerent
thee the heavens will look with a more chearful brow on Cerberus Orest Why let heaven look as 't will t is my crown that I have done an act shall make heave frown Tynd. O what earth loves so much a guilty soul that it can bear thee Orest Why Sir this is mine and this shall bear me Am I not right heire Tynd. Thou heir to kingdoms thou a subject rather to help to make a Players Tragedy Ore Why that will make me swell with greater pride to think my name shall drop in lines of blood from some great Poets quill who well shall paint how bravely I reveng'd my fathers death that is the thing I wish'd and 't is my glory I shall be matter for so brave a story But where 's my Crown 1. Lord. No murderer wee 'l rather joyn with him this old man here to take away thy life then such a homicide shall frame us laws who hath himself rac'd out the laws of Nature 2. Lord. Yes and wee 'l set here Argos crown on him who shall enact some pnnishment for thee which although none can equalize this deed yet what our griefs can think all shall be done and wee 'l forget thou' rt Agamemnons sonne Ore Why think you on your worst I scorn to crave I had three lives you but my one shall have Tyn. Then since vile wretch thou hast committed that which while there is a world throughout the world will be pronounc'd for the most horrid deed that ever came into the thought of man a thing which all will talk of none allow I here disclaim that name of Grand-father and I must quite forget that in thy veynes my blood doth flow but think it then let out when thou letst out my daughters And since you kind Lords commit the state unto my years years too unfit heavens know to beare a state My mind methinks contends for to decree somewhat which to my self I dare not tell Just conceiv'd wrath and my affection strives hate forbids pity pity forbids hate and exile is but barren punishtnent Yet let me banish thee from out these eyes O never let thy sight offend me more all thy confederates and all thy friends You Pylades which did so smoothly cloake the dam'nd profession he did undertake You Strophius Strop My Lord I know not ought Yet since one foot is now in Charons boat if it please you set tother too aflote Tynd. Not so but I will banish you the Court and you Electra come I must forget affection too towards you you gave the child which you had charge of to the murtherers sword Elect. Why Grandsire I herein no wrong do find since all these go I would not stay behind Tynd. Nay but no one shall company the other hence thou Cocytus stream of this offence Strophius and Pylades Electra hence Exeunt Strophius Pylades Electra Orest Why farwel Grandsire since thou bidst I flie and scorn companions for my misery Exit Orestes Tynd. Unto this punishmeht this one more I add that none shall dare to give Orestes food and this decree shall stand I speak with grief and here pronounce Orestes no relief Hence with these corps poor child what hadst thou don thy Nurses prayers that there might spring a rose where e'r thou trod'st could not keep back thy foes Some plague he hath but such a matricide should never die although he ever dy'd Scena 2. Enter Electra and Strophius Elect. Thus never lesse alone then when alone where to our selves we sweetly tell our woes Thou Uncle chief companion to our griefs and soul partaker of our miseries why do we live when now 't is come to passe it is scarce known that Agamemnon was He dies far easier who at first doth drown then he which long doth swim and then sinks down Stroph. Nay Neece me thinks I now do see the haven where my ag'd soul must leave this tossed bark made weak with years and woes yet I commend unto my son the heart of a true friend that 's all the will I leave and let him know friendship should ever be but most in woe And so I leave thee Neece I first must die to hast a period to this Tragedie He dies Elect. O envious Fates could you not use me thus have I not grief enough to burst my heart Was my life's thread twisted and knit so strong that the keen edg of all these miseries can never cut it off must I bear more 'T is all my safety now not to be safe Are there so many wayes to rid ones life and can I hit on none They say that death is every where and yet I find him not Tush but I seek him not why my own hand might grasp him to me if I did but strive Now hand help ease my heart and make a way to let out grief that hath so long dwelt here Stabs her self Now knife thou 'st done good service there lie by heaven well decreed it nothing life can give but every thing can make us not to live Scena 3. Enter Cassandra Now Priams Ghost haste haste I say to look with chearful eyes on the sinister book and there to Hecuba my mother shew the tragick story of thy conquered foe And let Andromecha my sister see what Agamemnons race is come to be Now Troy may gratifie that most sad doom conquered by those that thus themselves or'ecome let Greece so flourish still let Argos be puft with the pride of their great victory Let it bear Souldiers so withal it bear Orestes too now mother never fear Argos makes me to laugh which made thee weep the Trojans in the grave now sweetly sleep their sorrow hath the end now these begin to overflow themselves with mutual sin And after all Orestes we may see hath lost his reason mans sole propertie Scena 4. Enter Orestes furens Orest By you shall not nay I am decreed do tear tear me yes I have deserv'd it Cass O brave O brave he 's mad as well as I I 'm glad my madnesse hath got company Orest Mother why mother will you kill my father Then I 'll kill you tush I have don 't already Much patience will grow fury in time follow you me you beast you damn'd Aegystheus I 'll hew thee piece by piece look off my mother Cass I am she or one loves thee well Ore Out you witch you witch Ca. Murderer murderer Orest Dost whisper with the devils to torment me O how they lash me with their snaky whips Why Megaera Megaera wilt not hold thy hand Are you there too Erynnis hey all hell my Grandsier Atreus he stands fighting there but hee 'll ha'th better on 't keep Cerberus keep keep the gates fast or all hell breaks loose Mother I see you O you are a whore Did I kill you witch dost thou laugh dost thou Cass Why this is fine my very looks do whip him Orest. Could I but get the stone from Sysiphus I 'de dash thy brains out
Three Excellent Tragoedies Viz. THE RAGING TURK OR BAJAZET the Second THE COURAGEOUS TURK OR AMVRATH the First AND THE TRAGOEDIE OF ORESTES WRITTEN By THO. GOFF Master of ARTS and Student of Christ-Church in Oxford and Acted by the Students of the same House The second Edition carefully corrected by a friend of the Authors LONDON Printed for G. BEDELL and T. COLLINS at the middle Temple Gate Fleet-street 1656. THE RAGING TURK OR BAJAZET THE SECOND A Tragedie Written by THOMAS GOFF Master of ARTS and Student of Christ-Church in Oxford and Acted by the Students of the same House Monstra fato scelera moribus imputes Det ille veniam facilè cui venia est opus The second Edition LONDON Printed for G. BEDELL and T. COLLINS at the middle Temple Gate Fleet-street 1656. TO THE No less ingenious then zelous favouorer of ingenuity Sir RICHARD TICHBORNE Knight and Baronet SIR THis Tragedy a manuscript with another of the same Authors came lately to my hands He that gave them birth because they were his Nugae or rather recreations to his more serious and divine studies out of a nice modesty as I have learnt allowed them scarce private fostering But I by the consent of his especiall friend in that they shew him rather Omnium scenarum homo to his glory then disparagment have published them and do tender this to your most safe protection lest it wander a fatherlesse Orphan which every one in that respect will be apt to injure with calumnious censure Now if you vouchsafe to receive and shelter it you will not onely preserve unblemish'd the ever-living fame of the dead Author but assure me that you kindly accept this humble acknowledgement of Your most obliged and ready reall Servant RICH. MEIGHEN The Names of the Actors Bajazet Emperour his Sonnes Mahomates Achomates Corcutus Selymus Thrizham Mahomet Achments a Generall Cherseogles Vizerory of Greece Basses Isaack Mesithes Mustapha Solyman Selymus son Cajubus Achmates son Alexander Bishop of Rome Zemes Bajazets brother Tartarian King Armeniâ— King Asmehemedes Mahomets followers Hamon Bajazets Physician Jewish Monks Herauld Dwarfe Nemesis Capâ—aines Ambassadors Janizaries Souldiers Nuncius THE RAGING TURKE OR the Tragedie of BAIAZET the second of that name Actus 1. Scena 1. Enter Bassaes Isaack with a Crown in his hand Mustapha with a Scepter Mesithes with a Sword they Crown Corcutus youngest son to Bajazet Isaack LEt the world feel thee and those Demigods Proud with the name of Kings debase themselves To honour thee this Crowne commands as much He crowns him Wherewith I do invest thy happy brow Happy indeed if that succeeding times Shall set up vertue so to lessen crimes Thus from the ashes of dead Solyman Is rais'd another Phoenix great Corcutus Live equally adored when Princes bend To better courses all their subiects mend Must Crowns make not Kings nor can that glittering shew Perfect thine honour take another signe Of thy Imperiall dignity t is thine Gives him the Septer That addes a God-like grace unto thy brow This binds due honour that prostrates every knee Before thy throne then live and may that arme Secure thy subjects from all forraigne harme Mes What seasoned knowledg learnings prudent Queen Hath blest thee with must now initiate thee In the pathes of warre All studied Arts Are but degrees unto some wished end And steps of hope whereby we do ascend Unto the top and levell of our thoughts But Kings then prove most happy when they are Watchfull in peace and provident in warre Those are their utmost ends which that they may O'retake Art and the Sword make fairest way The Muses nours'd thee up and thou didst draw The pleasant juice of learning from their brests In thy first nonage here then we bestow The second help to which good Princes owe Much of their welfare Swords are the first ground Of peace and war they both defend and wound Thus are we vow'd to thee let thy dread fame Thunder amazement through the spacious world That when thou lifts thine arme thy foes may say Showts 3. Not Jove but great Corcutus rules the day Cor. Which that applause hath crowned and with it Will ever spight of traytors joying sit As now we do nor shall my watchfull care Be wanting to you whilst this subtil ayre Feedes mine industrious spirits I shall fill The good with joy by cutting off the ill Corrupted rags of men Jove let me stand An object in thine eye when thy swift hand Fails in the stroke of Justice Vertue returne From thy sad exile I will purge the walls From spotted vice and make this city free To entertaine so faire a Queene as shee Then Bassaes I embrace what you have throwne Upon me and these signes of honour thus Gives them back We re-bestow their power still stayes with us Could this vast body of the Common wealth Stand fast without a soule each man should see I am not greedy of this dignity This burdenous weight which some must undergoe The gods are busied with diviner things And put Earths care into the hands of Kings Actus 1. Scena 2. After some clamors of applause Enter Chersogles and Achmetes at several doores Ach. And is Bajazet arriv'd Che. So fame reports Yet how he doth digest Corcutus Raigne That every Bird sings not but sure with paine A Turkish Bajazet and suffer wrong May for a time conceale his griefe not long Eagles soare high and scorne that shorter Plumes Should reach the clouds which their proud wings can touch Corcutus must not raign to keep the right Due to his father nor will he if he might Enter Isaack Hee 's learned therefore just Arts not allow To weare a Crown due to anothers hrow Isa Dar'st thou oppose his greatnesse is not Greece Already wrackt enough have thy proud Towers reard up their loftie spires which steep'd in blood threw a reflex of red backe to the clouds and blush't at their owe ruins are thy crude wounds already stopt and is that day forgot in which the Turkish Mavors Ottoman wielded a sword of death within thy Walles Charon grew weary with hurrying souls to hell when threescore thousand Greeks in one day fell Chers We know their force and sad experience says Move not again Greece welters stil in blood and every crackling thunder of the heavens speaks the shrill eccho of the Turkish drums Then are we drawn by you so let it be about these great affairs as you decree Ach. This phrase becomes the Greeks submissive states must bend the Conqueror must rule the fates Chers And such are you our vanquisht hearts must bend but bad beginnings have a fatal end Me thinks I see great Bajazet in armes spreading his fearful Ensignes in the ayre like some prodigious Comet we may feare speedy revenge unlesse some quick advice works a prevention of his future hate T is he must sway the Scepter or we shall heare a dreadful defiance ratled in our eare hee 's strong in friends and power
thy god Apollo teach thee to divine my fall What hath thy cursed Genius tract my steps through the Meanders of dark privacie and will he dwell with me in these close shades to vex my banisht soul banisht from joy remov'd from the worlds eye I am accurs'd and hated by the Synod of the gods a knot of envious deceits the day will be when they shall smart for this indignity Enter solemn Musick the Ghost of Mahomates Zemes Trizham Mahomet Achmetes Caigubus Asmehemides with each a sword and burning Tapers led in by Nemesis with a sword they encompasse Bajazet in his bed Nem. Triumph my Plantiffes Nemesis your Queen is pierc'd quite through with your continual groanes See see the prostrate body of a King clad in the weedes of pining discontent lieth open to your wrath and doleful hate But I conjure you not to touch his skin nor hurt his sacred person those three Fates those frightful sisters told me they decree for Bajazet another destinie But vex his soul with your deluding blows and let him dream of direful anguishments each in the proper order of his Fate vent the comprest confusion of his hate One after another strike at Bajazet with their swords Nemesis puts by their blows Exeunt in a solem dance Neme. Awake awake thou tortured Emperor look with the eye of fury on the heavens threaten a downfall to this mortal stage and let it crack with thee thy life is run to the last Scene thy Tragick part is done Exit Bajazet awakes in fury ariseth You meager divels and infernal haggs where are you Ha! what vanisht am I found Did I not feele them teare and rack my flesh and scramble it amongst them Heaven and earth I am deluded what thin ayrie shapes durst fright my soul I 'le hunt about the world search the remotest angles of the earth till I 've found out the clymate holds these fiends or build a bridg by Geometrick skill whom lineal extension shall reach forth to the declining borders of the skie on which I 'le lead mortality along and break a passage through the brazen walls from whence Jove triumphs o're this lower world then having got beyond the utmost sphere besiege the concave of this universe and hunger-starve the gods till they confess what furies did my sleeping soul oppresse Ha! did it lighten or what nimble flame ha's crept into my blood me thinks it steals through my distemper'd joynts as if it fear'd to urge me to impatience Hamon accursed Hamon stand my soul above the power of these invenom'd drugs Am I in hell alive the Stygian flames could not produce an heat so violent as burns within my body Oh I feel my heart drop into cinders I am dust Jove for thine own sake Jove confine my soul within these walls of earth for in the skie when I am there none shall be Jove but I. Still still I boyle and the continued flames are aggravated He is done subdu'd by the base Art of a damn'd Emperick whose empty name sent terrour through the world Is not the heaven bespangl'd all with starrs and blazing Meteors whose bright glimmering flames like ceremonial Tapers should adorne my solemne Hearse what doth the golden Sun ride with it's wonted motion are the waves bridled within their narrow Continent No deluge not an earthquake shall a Prince an Emperor a Bajazet decease and make no breach in nature fright the world with no prodigious birth Are you asleep you thundring Beggards that so awe the world I 'le hasten to revenge this strong neglect of my deceasing spirits mount my soul brush off this cloddy heavy element So Jove I come excorporate divine immortal as thy self I must contest with thee proud god with thee to arme my mind only my soul ascends earth stayes behind Moritur Enter the Ghosts as before and bear him out Actus 5. Scena 10. Enter Solymon as newly Crowned Souldiers Attendants warlike Musick Soly. Is Selymus deceased Sould. He is my Lord. Soly. Who Selymus what Fate durst be so bold Oh I could act an holy frenzy now Selymus deceas'd What did not Atlus tremble at such a burden Can he support the Orb that holds up Selymus is not yet the Pole crackt with his weight do not the heavens prepare his funeral Exequies Jove I invoke thee now command the heavens that the prone Chandler shops command that idle Phoebus that he exhale matter from earth to make thy Funeral Tapers Or I 'le make Torches of the universe in stead of Comets flaming Countries Cities shall be thy ceremonial Tapers Or if not this I 'le ransack Christendome Kings Daughters I 'le embowel for a Sacrifice their fat with vestal fire will I refine and offer virgins wax unto thy shrine Start back bright Phoebus let thy fiery Steeds keep Holyday for Selymus Tell thy host proud Neptune now expects another deluge that all the earth may weep for Selymus What do you smile you heavens are ye conscious and guilty of this execrable treason What dare the fields to laugh to when I do mourn I 'le dye your motly colour'd weedes in scarlet and cloath the world in black destruction Nemesis I 'le nayl thee to my greedy sword destruction shall serve under me a Prentiship Courage brave Selymus with thy Princely boat through Styx even all mortality shall float I 'le leavy Souldiers through the Universe with which thou shalt begirt Elizeum Thus barren Nature shall repent thy fall grieving that she did not the event fore-stall Death I will hate thee the world shall wear thy sable livery embroydred with fear Thy Trophies every where the world shall gaze on Thy Armes in sable and in gules I 'l blazon Soul My Lord this Crown intreats you leave off these ground-creeping meditations and to think of Majesty wherefore we invest your brow with this rich robe of glory and do vow to it our due alleageance thus you shall mount up aloft above your Fathers fall Soly. Thus our deare Father those bright robes of state for which so lately thou hast sweat in blood thou wear'st upon my shoulders in thy stead thus are we crown'd and thus our labours be made gainful unto thine though not to thee Sould. Live then and raign most mighty Emperor whilst that our care and watchful providence shall fence thy safety and keep Sentinel over thy sacred person were black treasons hatcht in the Center of the darkest earth the massie element should be prospective for all our piercing eyes should Pluto send his black Apparator to summon thee to appear before him by that Mahomet we would confront him boldly and excuse thy absence unto Pluto by our presence death we 'le disarm thee if thou dar'st arrest thy fury on our Solymon or we 'le bale his person with our imprisonment By our death thou shalt live our City walls may with warlike ruine be battered but our alleageance that European Bull shall ne'r push from us with his golden hornes nor shall his
imperious looks should grace so base a stroke with sad aspect thus will I muffle up and choke my grones lest a griev'd teare should quite put out the name of lasting courage in Carmanias fame Am. What still stiffe necked Is this the truce you beg Sprinkled before thy face those Rebel Brats shall have their braines and their dissected limbes hurld for a prey to Kites for Lords 't is fit no spark of such a mountain threatning fire be left as unextinct least it devoure and prove more hot unto the Turkish Empier then the Promethean blaze did trouble Jove first sacrifice those Brats All. Wife Deare father let thy fury rush on me within these entrailes sheath thine unsatiate sword and let this ominous and too fruitful womb be torn insunder for from thence those Babes took all their crimes error made them guilty 't was Natures fault not theirs O if affection can work then now shew a true fathers love if not appease those murdering thoughts with me For as Jocasta pleaded with her sons for their deare Father so to a Father I for my dear babes and husband husband father Which shall I first embrace Victoriors father be blunt those now sharp thoughts lay down those threats unclasp that impious Helmet fix to earth that monumental Speare look on thy child with pardoning looks not with a warriers eye Else shall my brest cover my husbands brest and serve as buckler to receive thy wounds Why dost thou doubt Fearest thou thy daughters faith Amu. I feare for after Daughters perjury all Lawes of Nature shall distasteful be nor will I trust thy children or thy self Wife No Father 't is I fear you him he you I both but for you both for both you war so that 't is best with him that 's overcome O let me kisse kind father first the earth on which you tread then kisse mine husbands cheek Great King embrace these babes you are the stock on which these Grafts were planted Amu. True and when sprouts do rob the tree of sap they must be prun'd Wife Dear Father leave such harsh similitudes By my deceased Mother to whose womb I was a ten moneths burden By your self to whom I was a pleasing Infant once pitty my husband and these tender Infants Amu. Yes to have them collect a manly strength and their first lesson that their Dad shall teach them shall be to read my misery All. Stern Conqueror but that thy daughter shews there once dwelt good in that obdurate brest I would not spend a teare to soften thee Thou seest my Countries turn'd into a grave my Cities scare the Sun with fiercer flames which turn them into ashes and my self so flickt and carved that my amazed blood knows not through which wound first to take it's way if not on me have mercy on my babes which with thy mercy thou mayst turn to Love Amu. No sir we must root out malicious seed nothing sprouts faster than an envious weed We see a little Bullock ' mongst an Herd whose horns are yet scarce crept from out his front grows on a suddain tall and in the Field frolicks so much he makes his Father yield A little Twig left budding on an Elm ungratefully bars his Mother sight from Heaven I love not future Aladins Alad. Threat all a Conquerour can canst threat but death and I can die but if thou wouldst have mercy Wife Let 's see your feet we 're proud with this hands kiss The higher those great powers have rais'd you press that which lyes below with gentler weight to pardon miseries is Fortunes height alas these infants these weak sinewed hands can be no terror to these Hectors arms Beg Infants beg and teach these tender joynts to ask for mercy learn your lisping tongues to give due accent to each syllable nothing that Fortune urgeth to is base put from your thoughts all memory of descent forget the Princely Titles of your Fathers if your own misery you cannot feel learn thus of me to weep of me to kneel Al. Do boys and imitate your Parents tears which I like Priam shed when he beheld Hector thrice dragg'd about the Trojan Walls He that burst ope the Gates of Erebus and rouz'd the yelling Monster from his Den was conquer'd with a tear Great Monarch learn To know how dear a King doth weeping earn 1. Ch. Good Grandsire see see how my Father cries 2. Ch. Good Mother take my napkin for your eyes Wife Good father hear hear how thy daughter prays Thou that know'st how to use stern Warriers arms learn how to use mild VVarriers pity too Alas Can ere these ungrown strengths repair their Fathers battered Cities Or can these these orethrown Turrets Iconium what small hopes hast thou to lean upon If these be all Not half so mild hath our misfortune been that any can ere fear us Be pleased Am. Rise my dear Child as Marble against rain so I at these obedient showers melt thus I do raise thy Husband thus thy Babes freely admitting you to former State But Aladin wake not our wrath again Patience grows fury that is often stirred when Conquerours wax calm and cease to hate the conquer'd should not dare to reiterate Be thou our Son and Friend Alad. By all the Rites of Mahomet I vow it Am. Then for to seal unto you this our love your self shall lead a wing in Servia in our immediate VVars we are to meet the Christians in Cassanoe's Plains with speed Great Amurath nere had time to breath himself so much as to have warring with new Foes no day securely to his Scepter shone but one VVars end still brought another on Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 2. Enter Lazarus Cobelitz Souldiers all armed Cob. Let now victorious wreathes ingirt our brows let Angels ' stead of Souldiers wield our arms ' gainst him who that our Cities might be his strives to depopulate and make them none But look look in the air me thinks I see an Host of Souldiers brandishing their Swords each corner of the Heaven shoots thunderbolts to nail these impious forces to the Earth Laz. Souldiers stand to 't though fortune bandy at 's let 's stand her shocks like sturdy Rocks i th' Sea on which the angry foaming Billows beat with frivolous rush and break themselves not them stand like the undaunted countenance o th' sky or like the Sun which when the foolish King thought to obscure with a cloud of darts out lookt them all our lives are all inchanted and more invulnerate than Thetis Son We shall have hands and weapons if the stone of Fortune glide from under our weak feet and we must fall yet let all Christians say 'T is She and not the Cause that wins the day We must believe Heaven hath a greater care of them whom Fortune doth so oft out dare Cob. Gentlemen Brothers Friends Souldiers Christians we have no reason to command of Heaven a thing denied to all mortality Nor should we be so impudently proud as
in this weak condition to repute our selves above the stroak of Lady Chance a caution must divine it ever fixt that whilst her checks equally fall out community should ease their bitterness I could afresh now shed those Princely tears to think such suddain ruine should attend Heroick spirits glittering in bright arms But if the Graecian when he heard the dreams disputed subtilly by Philosophers to prove innumerable extant worlds was struck with pensiveness and wept to think he had not yet obtain'd one for himself what terror can affright a Christians thoughts who knows there is a world at liberty to breath in when this glass of life is broke our Foes with circling fury are intrencht Pelions of Earth and darkness shall orelade them whilst we shall mount and these our spirits light shall be yet ponderous to depress them lower Nay my Enthusiastick soul divines That some weak hand shall from the blazing Zone snatch Lightning which shall strike the snarling Cur with horror and amazement to the Earth which Hell cannot oppose Turk Tyrannize stand yet at length to fall my sacrifice Super Olympick vigor will no doubt squeez all thy supercilious rancor out Exeunt in a March Scena 3. Actus 5. The Heavens seem on fire Comets and blazing Stars appear Amurath speaks Am. Who set the world on fire How now ye Heavens grow you so proud that you must needs put on curl'd locks and cloth your selves in Periwigs of fire Mahomet say not but I invoke thee now command the puny-Christians demi-God put out those flashing sparks those Ignes fatui or I 'le unseat him or with my Looks so shake the staggring props of his weak seated Throne that he shall finde he shall have more to do to quell one Amurath than the whole Gyant brood of those same Sons of Earth than ten Lycaons Do the poor snaks so love their misery that they would see it by these threatning lights Dare ye blaze still I 'le toss up Buckets full of Christians blood to quench you by those hairs drag you beneath the Center there put out all your presaging flames in Phlegeton Can you outbrave me with your pidling Lights Yawn earth with Casements as wide as hell it self Vault opens Burn heaven as ardent as the Lemnian flames wake pale Tisiphon spend all thy snakes Be Eacus and Minos as severe as if the Goale delivery of us all were the next Sessions I le pull Radamant by his flaming furres from out his Iron Chaire Whilst he is in his fury arise four Fiends framed like Turkish Kings but black his supposed Predecessors daunce about him to a kind of hideous noyse sing this Song following 1. Fiend Horror dismal cryes and yells Of these thy Grandsires thee fore-tels Furies sent of thee to learn Crimes which they could nere discern All. Furies sent c. 2. Fiend O Amurath thy Father 's come To warn thee of a suddain doome Which in Cassanoe's fields attends To bring thee to thy hellish friends All. Which in Cassanoes c. 3. Fiend Megaera and Ennio both do stand Trembling lest when thou art damn'd Chief of Furies thou shouldst be And they their snakes resigne to thee All. Chief of Furies c. 4. Fiend Terror we a while will leave thee Till Cocytus Lake receive thee Cerberus will quake for feare Where he a new Turks fate shall heare All. Cerberus will c. Amu. Now who the divel sent my Grandsires hither Had Pluto no task else to set them too He should have bound them to Ixions wheel or bid them roule the stone of Sysiphus Beshrew me but their singing did not please me Have they not been so drunk with Lethe yet as to forget me They can portend no ill for should the fates be twining my last thread yet none durst come from hell to tell me so Shall I be scar'd with a Night-walking Ghost or what my working fancy shall present Why I can look more terrible then night and command darknesse in the unwilling day Make Hecate start and draw back her head to wrap it in a swarthy vaile of clouds Drop sheets of Sulphure you prodigious skyes Cyclops run all thy Bullets into Aetna then vomit them at once should Christians couch to the bottomlesse abysse of Styx or hide themselves under Avernaes shade this arm should fetch them out Day must perform what I intend wrath raines a bloody storm And now 'gins rise the Sun which yet not knows the misery it shall see on Amuraths Foes Lords Leaders Captaines Enter Schahin and others Scha. Your Highnesse up so soon Amu. He small rest takes that dreames on nought but bloody broyles and death Schah. Your Grace seems much distempered Beds of sweat bedew your brows with never-wonted paleness Am. Why see you not The heavens are turn'd Court Ladies and put on other Hair besides their own canst guess learn'd Schahin what these flames portend Schah. My Lord such things as these we men must see and wonder at and yet not search the reason perchance unwholsom fogs exhailed by th' Sun are set a blazing by his too neer heat but 't is not lawful that a mortal eye should dare to penetrate Heavens secrecy Am. Doth it not bode a Conquest Schah. Yes ' gainst the Christians for unto them it bends sinister looks and frowns upon their Army more than ours Amur. So so come on ere Phosphorus appear let 's too 't and so prevent that sluggard Sol. If we want Light we 'll from our Whinyards strike fire enough to scorch the Universe Mine Armour there Some go for his Armour Now Mahomet I implore thy promist Aid for this auspicious day toss me aloft and make me ride on Clouds If my Horse fail me those fire breathing jades which the boy Phaëthon knew not how to guide will I pluck out from out the flaming Team and hurle my self against those condense Spheares on which I 'le sit and stay their turning Orbs the whole vertigious Circle shall stand still but to behold me Mine Armour ho They bring his Armour So help on here now like Alcides do I girt my self with well knit sinewes able to stagger Earth and threaten Nature with a second Chaos If one impetuous broyl remain to come in future ages set on foote this houre How well this weight of steele bents my strength Me thinks the Gods stand quivering and doe feare when I am arm'd another Phlegeâ—'s neare Chiron shall see his Piadus at my feet And I le climbe up to heaven and pull it downe and kick the weighty burden of the world from off the Babies shoulders that supports it for I am safer Buckled ' gainst my foe then sturdy Jason who by th' inchanted charmes Medea gave encountred Unicornes Queld Lyons struggl'd with fire-belching Buls obtain'd a glorious prize a Fleece A Fleece dipt deepe in tincture of the Christ'ans bloud shall be my spoyle nay should they hide their heads in their Gods bosome here 's a sword shall reach them Come
forrester hath stole away his young he missing it straight runs with open jaws on all he meets and never hurting him that did the wrong Wise men must mix revenge with reason which by providence will prompt and tell us where 's the mark whereat we aym Till then in Cinders wee 'l rake up our grief fire thus kept still lives but opened dies from smallest sparks great flames may one day rise Orest True friend but O who ever will reveale this hideous act what power shall we invoke Pyl. Yes harken friend I have bethought a meanes not distant far from this place where we live there stands a cave hard by a hollow oake in a low valley where no Sun appeares no musick ever was there heard to sound but the harsh voyce of croking ominous ravens and sad Nyctimine the bird of night There 's now a shed under whose ancient roofe there sometimes stood an Altar for the Gods but now slow creeping time with windy blasts hath beaten down that stately Temples walls defac't his rich built windows and until'd his battlemented roofe and made it now a habitation not for God nor men Yet an old woman who doth seem to strive with the vast building for antiquity in whose rough face time now hath made such holes as in those uncouth stones she there hath made her self a cell wherein to spend her age Her name 's Canidia great in Magick spells at whose dire voice the gods themselves would quake to heare her charm the second time pronounc't One that can know the secrets of the heavens and in the ayre hath flying ministers to bring her news from earth from sea from hell which when thick night hath compass'd in the world then doth she go to dead mens graves and tombs and sucks the poysonous marrow from their bones then makes her charm which she nere spent in vaine Nor doth she come as supplyant to the gods but making Erebus and heaven to quake she sends a spell drowning infernal thunder by which all secrets that were ever done in faire white parchment writ in lines of blood lockt in the inmost room of hell it self is brought unto her and by her we may have leave to look in Pluto's register and reade the names of those most loathed furies which rent thy Fathers soul from out his trunk But she must see thy fathers dead bones first them we must bring her for by them she works This if thou dar'st assay I 'll go along Orest If I dare assay yes yes deare friend were it to burst my fathers sepulcher and wake his Manes shew them Radamanth their iterated sight will burn my soul with such a sparkling flame of dire revenge as Nessus shirt did burn great Hercules If that the scrowle which did conteine their names were in a lake of flaming brimstone drencht I 'de take it out or fech't from Pluto's arms But come if earth hath such a creature as can tell t will save a journey for this once from hell Scena 3. Enter Aegystheus Clytemnestra Tyndarus Mysander Strophius Electra cum caet with a crown Aegystheus ascends the throne Mysander crowns him Clytemnestra great with child Mys All years of happy dayes all hours of joy so circle in thy state as doth this crown wreath and combine thy princely temples in All speak Jove still protect Aegystheus Aegyst Thanks to my fathers subjects Now Argos swell up to the brim with joy and streams of gladnesse flow on Tyndarus Now made our father see old King see here 's my Queen doth mean to make thee a grandfather see how thy royal blood shall propagate whose Kingly drops like heaven distilling dew shall add fresh life unto thy withered root Tynd. Yes but Aegystheus there were armes before grew on this tree but the Fates envious axe hath cut them off before th 'ad time to sprout Clyt. O Sir the Fates needs must have leave to make wayes for themselves to manage what they do Had Agamemnon and Orestes liv'd they could not then have blest me with these gifts Still when the heavens and Fates do work their will they intend good though sometimes there come ill Tynd. O but pray Jove the Fates now were not forc't but deeds like words no man can e'r recal be 't good or ill once done we must bear all Aegyst Come father sit we down and make a feast They set to the feast to glad our hearts Heaven still doth for the best Stro. O let my latter age not live to see Aegystheus wear great Argos diadem Elect. Feare not good uncle there will be a time to pull him down although he yet doth climbe Tynd. Who ever trusted much on fortunes gifts on wife on state on health on friends on lands may look on Agamemnons coming home Fortune me thinks ne're shew'd her power more how quickly could she turne her Fatall sword upon his brest that thought himselfe past harme she that had us'd death like an angry dogge holding him up when that he should have bit when all the game was past and 's fury laid the king being past all danger safe at home then he slip's coller never untill then and fortune she stood hissing of him on till he had torne the good kings soule away Clytemnestra seemes to weep Aegyst Nay but good father let passe elegies you draw fresh teares now from your daughters eyes who shed enough before at 's funeral let 's talk who are to live not who are dead and think what progeny shall spring from us may beare your Image stampt upon the face this we must talk of now not what griefs past but of the joy to come My Queen not well Clytemnestra riseth from the table Now good Electra look unto your mother Lucina be propitious to the birth why will not now a young Aegystheus be as grateful as an old Orestes was Thou times good lengthener age posterity spread thy self still upon Aegystheus line help me to treasure up antiquity and from Thyestes loynes let spring an heire shall ever sit in great Thyestes chaire Exeunt SCEN. 4. Enter Pylades and Orestes with his arms full of a dead mans bones and a scull Pyl. Neare to this shady grove where never light appeares but when 't is forced with some charm Canidia dwells in such a dusky place that the night goblins feare to come too neare it Here let us knock Orest Nay Pylades see here O give me leave to discant on these bones This was my Fathers scull but who can know whether it were some subjects scull or no Where be these Princely eyes commanding face the brave majestick look the Kingly grace Where 's the imperious frown the God-like smile the graceful tongue that spoke a souldiers stile Ha ha worms eate them could no Princely looke no line of eloquence writ in this booke command nor yet perswade the worms away Rebellious worms could a King beare no sway Injurious worms what could no flesh serve but Kings for you By
Cruel homicide 2. Ungrateful wretch 3. Tyrant 4. Meet hilts in 's guts 5. First let his own hands take that Mantle off Circle him Baj. Help Treason I am slain 6. Help why From whom Is not thy Guard about thee Bajaz. Hemn'd in with death my friends beset me round not to preserve my life but murder me Blush you pale heavens at this abhorred fact that they may see their crimes and be asham'd of this unheard offence Valiant Janizaries sheat up these weapons of rebellion print not that ugly sin upon your brow let my free pardon woe you to submit Keep your allegeance firm Omnes Ha ha ha ha 1 One word more damns thee 2 How prettily he began to talk 3 Of sin and pardon Bajazet behold here stands a man milde honour'd gracious valiant and faithful gentle in command at home belov'd and fear'd amongst our foes yet hath thy hand of cruelty assai'd the hated murder of so dear a friend Blush you pale heavens at this abhorred fact that he may see his crimes and be asham'd of this new bloudinesse Wicked Bajazet these admonitions fit the teacher well Bajaz. But hear me speak 4 First set Achmetes free then speak thy fill Bajaz. What shall I be compell'd 5 And quickly too 6 We cannot brook to see him stand thus cloath'd Takes of the Mantle Baj. Your anger will have way Achmetes go there take him They have sav'd thee from this woe Exeunt showting and lâ—aping Pernicious villains they have crost my plot 't was intercepted ev'n in the last deed What should Achmetes meane thus to ingrosse The best affections of my Janizaries Will he defraud me of my Crowne and life My life I weigh not but to lose my Crowne were to be sentenc'd to a hell of woes I am full stuft with choler Slavish Peasants held I a sword of power in mine hand I would disjoynt them peece-meale can I not Am I not Emperour men call me so A reverend title empty attributes and a long page of words follow my name but no substantiall true prerogative Enter Isaack Isaack Good health to Bajazet Bajaz. Indeed that 's nothing since your councell fail'd Isaak Use your best patience it may be regain'd Affection in your stubborne multitude is a proud torrent not to be withstood Were you as sacred as their houshold gods Yet when you thwart the current of their will they 'le breake the bands of duty and prophane that holinesse to which they bound their thoughts Mine eyes are witnesse with what lively joy They bore him through the streetes upon their necks Offering the use of their best strength Baja. No more I am already gone Why did not then his proud ambitious tongue bid them goe fetch My Crowne and with quick speede disrobe a wretch 't was in his power we are distracted Isaak lend us thy wholsome counsell to prevent my ruine and their dangerous intent Isaack Mine is a blunt advice and deepe in bloud to cut off those base Peasants that withstood the force of your decree Bajaz. To cut them off Me thinkes I see my selfe yet circled in with their revengeful swords Ha cut them off Could I but curse the Traytors from the earth or were my doom pronounc'd but of effect I 'de rattle such new torments in their ears should stagger their high courage but my fears strangle my furies and my envious fate forceth my tongue to flatter where I hate Isaak Here lies the safest course to rid these griefs Give out you 'l go to war so to enlarge your territories and to this end fetch home those warlike Souldiers plac'd in Garison let them remain without the walls at last when things shall fit your purpose lead them all by night into the City and in one stroke strike off so many thousand perjur'd heads as shall amaze posterity to hear how many lives redeem'd thee from thy fear Baj. The weight of all mine honour leans on thee that or some nearer course shall quell the pride of strong Achmetes and confound his side Actus 2. Scena 8. Enter Zemes and Alexander Bishop of Rome Bishop If your intents be vertuous and desire of eminent place quite banisht from your thoughts my house shall be your Castle that I deny my men and Arms to aid you in your broils think it kind usage Should my Holinesse feed your ambition and make strong your hand against your brother 't were too light a brand of flaming hot dissention and to set the world in a combustion all would then quarrel by my example No sweet Prince Romes holy Bishop must not so transgress If you will dwell within my sacred roof settle irregular passions and begin a quiet life repentance wipes out sin Zemes My waxen wings are melted I will soare against the Sun through such thick clouds no more the middle Region shall contain my flight your counsell swayes my wishes my late deeds were full of sin now let my brother know Zemes repents and that 's the greatest woe Exit Bish To mans aspiring thoughts how sweet is hope which makes them like Camelions live on air and hug their slender plots till cool despair doth so benum his thoughts that he falls dead from his sublime height and his lofty head which level'd at the skies doth drop below his humble feet this hath experience taught in that mans head-long ruine whose proud thoughts aim'd at the Turkish Diadem but now cross fates have forc'd his stubborn heart to bow Enter a Messenger What speaks your entrance Messen Health to Romes Bishop and peace from Bajazet who commends his love with this his Letter and expects from you a gracious answer Gives him a letter He reads the letter Bish Let Zemes die by an untimely death else for our love you shal provoke our hate Hee 's not our brother but our hated foe and in his death you shall prevent our wo. Return our service back tell Bajazet what he hath given in charge shall by my hand be carefully dispatcht Messen Good peace attend you Exit Bish Imperious Turk Am I not Gods Vice-gerent here on earth and dar'st thou send thy letters of command or speake to me in threatning menaces It grates my patience to obey this monster yet must I murder Zâ—mes what doe I know whether my fathers soule did trans-migrate into his breast or no be dumbe remorse the Turke is great and powerfull if I winne his love by this t' will prove a happy sinne Exit Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Solymus alone Solem. Am I so poore in worth still kept so low Was I begot only to live and dye to fill a place move idlely to and fro like other naturalls unmanly life the world shall take more notice of my fame els will I with the venom'd sting of warre deface the beauty of the universo Posteritie shall know once there did breath a Selymus a mortall diety a man at whose blest birth the planets smil'd and spent their influence to create a
boy as brave as Greece e'r hatcht or Rome or Troy Enter Isaack Here 's Isaack Bassa hee 's already mine he courts my father but intends for mee and furthers all my counsells Noble friend how stand our hopes Isaack Great Sir most happily the Bassaes murmure at Achmetes wrong seize on their wavering love their breasts are ope to him that first will enter ther 's free scope drop dowre thy franke affection in their hands to bribe is lawfull and 't is strongly prov'd by good examples Otho ne'r was lov'd till he had bought the souldiers that once done Galba grew out of fashion so must wee addict them to us by a gaine-full fee Give freely and speak fairely I 'le be gone stay here the Bassaes will be here anon Exit Enter Mesithes Sely. I shall observe thy precepts Mesithes welcome How fare you in these dayes of discontent my dutie bids me aske and wish you well I have beene long a barren debtor to you At length I may prove thankfull weare my love 't is yours without refusal a sleight gift gives him a ring aside Yet your lookes tel me 't will helpe out my drift Mesi This courtesie exceeds my weake deserts sweet Prince but when occasion calls me forth to helpe you I 'me devoted to your worth Sely. Your kind acceptance of that recompence Binds me more strictly to you Mesith Sir farewell Exit and enter Mustapha Sely. So one hath tooke see where another comes all health to Mustapha Musta Thankes gracious Prince your gentle pardon for my boldnesse Sir Sely. Command my pardon and commend my love to thy bright daughter tell her I admire her vertuous perfection let that chaine gives him a chaine make me remembred often in her mind Must When my weak strength or wealth shall stretch so far as to continue Sely. No Cynicke complement good Mustapha Musta Then I returne you thankes Exit Sely. Health follow you and Honour me Here is a third at hand Enter Asmehemides Selym. Continuance to your health Sir Asme Thanks gentle Prince Please you to use my service Sely. Yes thus farre Spend me that purse of gold gives him a purse Asme What means your Highness Selym. But to deserve your kindness and avoid the hated censure of ingratitude Asme This is your liberal vertue not my deeds but you shall find me thankfull Exit Selym. So I hope three steps are trod already to a Throne and I am rich in friends these proffer'd gifts conjure observance from their servile brests Oh powerfull gold whose influence doth win men with desire for to engender sin Isaak Bassa Isaak Even the man you wisht What did the golden lure work good effect and make the Bassaes stoop unto your mind Sely. Words are but empty shadows but if deeds answer their words we cannot doubt their faith they stoop beneath my feet I seem to be as true as Jove but slye as Mercurie Enter Mesithes Here comes Mesithes muttering back again but step aside and we shall know his mind Mesith But he is cruel bloody and his pride unsufferable great Selymus Ha! Mesithes Proud Bajazet Thou hast usurp'd a title thy descent could never reach unto thou wrongst the world since thou detain'st the Crown which heavens decree due to a better brow thou art defam'd with Tyranny and wrong but Selymus is void of blemishes as truth of lyes bad stocks must be cut down the good must rise Sely. He daunted me at first but now I find the golds bright lustre made his judgment blind Mustapha comes Enter Mustapha Musta. Fortune hath wheel'd me up above the stars under a Monarch I 'le not sell my hopes Bold Selymus I 'le second thy designs and thou shalt Queen my daughter that being done with mine own splendor I 'le eclipse the Sunne Sely. Is' t so a while I 'le feed thy airy hopes then dash thee into nothing Here 's a third Enter Asmehemides Asm A purse of gold I can untie the knot the close aenigma sayes I would be King Brave Selymus I like thy mounting thoughts work out thy projects thou canst never need or ask my help but thou art sure to speed Exit Sely. What we resolv'd stands firm but the event be scan'd when leisure serves wee 'l now prevent my brothers hopes and by a sudden fate unto their lives and dayes give equal date to compass a blest end now we begin Jove hath offended if it be a sin to throw a father down Saturn did dwell once in the heavens Jove threw him down to hell Enter Bajazet and Achmetes hand in hand Cherseogles Mesithes Mustapha Mahometes Achomates Trizham Mahomet Asmehemides Sely But stay Achmetes and our fathers friends Bajaz. Achmetes I have injur'd thy deserts subborn'd accusers wrong'd my credulous ears and my rash censure undervalued much thy noble spirits when it first condemn'd them of intended treason rense thy soul in the dull river of oblivion we halt beneath the burthen of thy hate thinke my mov'd anger made me hot and wild I cannot sleepe till we be reconcil'd Achm. The gods neglect my welfare here on earth and when I shall put off this mortall load let me be out-law'd from the Court of heaven if in this bosome there lye hid one thought that doth not honour Bajazet Baia. Wee know thy vertues make us happy valiant Sir thy feete once more must tread a warlike march under our fearefull banner thou shalt pace even to the walles of Rome there dwels our foe where our halfe Moone rear'd in the middle camp like a distempred Meteor in the ayre shall strike amazement in the cloistred monkes and shake the Prelates Miter from his head till he yeeld Zemes up alive or dead When we have mov'd thee from thy Janizaries thou shalt not travell farre aside Isaack A subtile tricke and well pretended I admire thy wit aside Achm. Let me march hence and Bajazet shall know how little I befriend my Princes foe I le cast a ring of souldiers round about The walles of Rome if Zemes scape thence out cut of my breath he that 's deepe in blame Must hazard boldly to regaine his fame Triz. What meanes our father noble Bajazet to worke untimely horrors through the world desolate ruine publike discontent have printed deepe impressions in our path danger and feare scarce emptied from our towne the shaken members of our common wealth yet stagger with their wounds when discord shall make but a second breach they faint and fall Mah. Short peace hath charm'd your subjects all asleepe and throwne a quiet slumber ore their eyes whilest with a sweete restorative she heales their Martyr'd joynts and wipeth out their scarres writ on their bosomes by the hand of warres Zemes is safely cloystred up at Rome the Prelate dares not ayde him all the gods smile on the entrance of triumphant peace war lies fast bound nor can she worke our paines unlesse we loose the fury from her chaines Baja. Our sonnes instruct us must your pregnant
wits crosse my command Bassaes prepare for warre and since your grave discourse argues a will to stay at home you shall wee le lay you up where no loud ecchoing drums shall breake your sleepe even in the bowels of your mother earth I will entombe you Put them both to death Omnes What meanes great Bajazet Baja. To murder you unlesse you strangle them Ambo But heare us speake Baja. Stop up the damned passage of their throat Or you are all but ghosts What! stare you friends Isaack and Selymus a garter twist me that fatall string about his necke and either pull an end strangle Trizham Mesithes come joyne force with me by heaven y' were best make hast Or thou art shorter liv'd then is that bratt Tugge strongly at it strangle Mahomet So let the bastard droppe we have out-liv'd our tutors dunghill slaves durst they breath out their Stoicke sentences in opposition of our strickt command Selym. So things run well along and now I find Jove heares my prayers and the gods grow kind Baja. Did not I send these to their Provinces to hinder Zemes flight and did not they dejected bastards give him open way Mine anger hath been just Cherseo None doth deny 't you may proceed in your edict for warrs and make Achmetes General of the camp Baj. It is enough Achmetes go to hell stabs him the divels have rung out thy passing bell and look for thine arrival Shend me slaves Exeunt omnes They fly before my breath like mists of air and are of less resistance I 'le pursue Exit Achm. Oh I am slain Tyrant thy violent hand hath done me pleasure though against thy will had I as many lives as drops of bloud I 'de not outlive this hour fly hence vain soul climb yonder sacred mount strive upwards there there where a guard of stars shall hem thee round build thee a safe tribunal I am gone Oh tragick cruelty behold the end of two right Noble sons one faithful friend moritur Re-enter Bajazet in fury Baj. Have all forsaken me and am I left a prey unto my self did all their breath pass through his organs and in his sad death have I abruptly crackt the vital thred of all my Bassaes Achmetes groans Ha! where am I now In some Gebenna or some hollow vault where dead mens ghosts sigh out their heavy groans Resolve me Mahomet and rid me hence or I will spoil the fabrick of thy tomb and beat away the title of a God Dost thou not move a trunk a stock to die is to put on your nature so will I. Offering to stab himself Cherseogles Mesithes Mustapha Mahomates Achomates Selymus Asmehemides interrupt him Omnes Hold hold and live Baj. How come these bodies dead Filii Father it was your self Bajaz. Let me revoke my wandring sense Oh what a stream of blood hath purg'd me of my black suspition two sons one valiant Captain hence are wrought by mine own hand to cure one jealous thought As 't is they are the happier I out-live them whom I wisht to fall only to grave bear forth their bodies Bassaes carry them out We were curst in this and shall intomb with them much of our bliss indeed we had resolv'd to spend this day in things of more solemnity less wo. Now our most wished councel shall begin and bitter deeds weigh up the scales of sin Amasia is a province rich and strong Mahomates it is thine keep it as long as I have power to give it go provide for thy conveyance at the next fair tide Mahom. Farewell dear father Bajaz. Worthy son adieu the love my dead sons wanted falls to you as an hereditary good Selymus Then we aside may vail our heads in black no mourners be Baja. Achomates thy worth deserves some trophies of our love which to let slip unmention'd were to adde to this black day a fourth offence as bad Governe Manesia now the people stand dishfurnisht of an head let thy command be great amongst them so make speedy hast Honour stayes for thee Selym. Now the stormes are past Achom. Father adieu Exit Baja. Achomates farewell Selym. Now to my lot I thought 't would ne'r a fell aside Baja. Now Selymus wee know thy hopes are great and thine ambition gapes with open jawes to swallow a whole Dukedome but young Sir we dare not trust the raines of government into the hands of Phaeton Desire rashly fullfild may set the world on fire Greene youth and raw experience are not fit to shoulder up a Kingdomes heavie weight mixe wit with stay'd discretion and spend wild yeares in study then we doe intend to settle more preferment on thy head then thou can'st hope for Selymus Wilt thou envious dotard Strangle my greatnesse in a miching hole the world 's my study Bajazet my name Shall fill each angle of this round-built frame Exit Bajaz. I know he grumbled at it 't is good To calme the rebell heat of youthfull blood with sharpe rebukes Enter a Messengerâ— Messen Health to the Emperour Bajaz. What will your message Messen Duty first from Rome commended by the Bishop to your service with a firme promise to dispatch your will what ever it imply'd and would but stay till Times swift circle should bring forth a day secure for the performance Exit Bajaz. 'T is enough Thanks for your care This was to murder Zemes. War with the Bishop ' thad been pretty sport I knew my powerful word was strong enough to make him do my pleasure simple Priest only I vs'd it as a trick to send Achmetes from the City and his friends but Fate so smil'd upon me that I found a shorter means his life and hopes to wound with my sententious sons that when my foe fled through their Province finely let him goe which being wholy finish'd strait to please my friends I play'd a raging Hercules then to shut up the Scene neatly put on a passionate humour and the worst was done But who comes here A dumb show Enter Mahomates with store of Turks he as taking his leave they as ceremoniously with great humbleness taking their leavs depart at several doors I like not this Mahomates belov'd so dearly of the Comminalty ha Hee 's wise fair-spoken gently qualified powerful of tongue why hee 's the better son not to supplant his Father I mislike the prodigal affection thrown on him by all my subjects I bely'd my hopes when I presum'd this day had freely rid me of my worst vexation I was born to be a jade to Fate and fortunes scoff my cares grow double-great my cutting off Exit Actus 3. Scena 3. Enter Caigubus Achmetes Son Caig. If ever man lov'd sorrow wisht to grieve Father I do for thee Could I deprive my senses of each object but thy death then should I joy to sigh away my breath be Godhead to my griefe then shall these eyes with tributary tears bedeck thy shrine and thus I do invoke the nimble Ghost what ever or be of
Heaven what ever coast affords thee present mansion quickly thence flit hither and present unto my sense thy selfe a feeling substance let me see acknowledge and admire thy majesty Put off that ayry thinnesse which denies me to behold thee with these duller eyes then shall they sending down a powerfull flood rence thy cold members from each drop of blood and so return thee back that thou mai'st soare up to the skies much purer then before Had the just course of nature wrought thee hence I would have made the gods know their offence and back restore thy soul but thou art dead and 't was a fiercer hand that clipt thy thread fiercer and boulder which did ever thrive by mischiefe and once coffind thee alive up in deaths mantle but then would not use such open violence nor durst abuse one of such sacred worth till furie struck his reason dead and made his treacherous hand creepingly stab thee both unseen and foul as if he would have stoln away thy soul But oh Enter Isaack Jsaack But oh indeed Caigub Why what Jsaack As bad a stroke attends thee as thy Father had Princes suspicion is a flame of fire exhal'd first from our manners and by desire of rule is nourish'd fed and rores about till the whole matter dye and then goes out Cai. Unfold a scene of murders Fates work on wee 'l make a path to Heaven and being gon Down from the lofty towers of the skies throw thunder at the Tyrant will he presse the earth with weight of slaught'red carcasses Let him grow up in mischief still shall her wombe gaping reserve for him an empty tombe We do but tread his path and Bassa since it stands upon thee now to cure thy prince of his distemper'd lunacy go fetch the instrument of death whilst I a wretch expect thy sad return Isaack I go and could it stand with mine alleageance sure I should imply my service to a better end then to disrobe the Court of such a friend Exit Cai. He that is judg'd down from a steepy hill to drop unto his death and trembling still expects one thence to push him such a slave doth not deserve to live nor 's worth a grave Then Lachesis thou that divid'st the threed of breath since this dayes Sun must see me dead thus I le prevent thy paine thus I le out-run my fate and in this stroke thy work is done Stabs himselfe Eternall mover thou that whirlst about the skies in circular motion heare me out what I command see that without controule thou make Heaven clear to entertain my soule and let the nimble spirits of the ayre Print me a passage hence up to thy chaire there will I sit and from the Azure sky laugh at obsequious base mortality Vanish my soule enjoy embrace thy fate thus thus thou mount'st above a Tyrates hate Stabs himself dyes Enter Isaack with Executioners Isa We are prevented see the fates command false deeds must dye though by the Actors hand Return to Bajazet and bear that corps Exeunt So now I am alone nor need I fear to breath my thoughts out to the silent ayre my conscience will not hear me that being deaf I may joy freely First thy hated breath Achmetes vanisht next Caigubus fell thus we clime Throans whilst they drop down to hell The glorious eye of the all-seeing sun shall not behold when all our plots are done a greater Prince then Selymus 't is he must share with Jove an equal Majesty But for my self his Engineer I 'le stand above mortality and with a hand of power dash all beneath me into dust if they but crosse the currant of my lust What I but speak 't is Oracle and Law thus I will rule and keep the world in awe Sely. Noble assistant Enter Selymus Mesithes Mustapha Asmehemedes Isa Happy Selymus Sely. 'T is thou must make me so for should I stay waiting my Fathers pleasure I might stand gazing with envy at my Brothers pride my self lying prostrate even beneath their feet Towns Cities Countries and what else soever can give high thoughts content are freely theirs â— only like a spend-thrift of my yeares Idle my time away as if some god had raz'd my name out of the role of Kings which if he have then Isaack be thy hand â—s great as his to print it in again though Bajazâ—t say nay Isaack No more I will an Empire be our hopes that to obtaine wee 'l watch plot fight sweat and be cold again Exeunt Actus 3. Scena 4. Enter Zemes and Alexander Bispop of Rome Bish Cannot my words add solace to your thoughts oh you are gulft too deep in a desire of soveraigne pompe and your high thoughts aspire All the unshadowed plainenesse of my life doth but contract thick wrinckles of mislike in your Majestick brow and you distast morall receipts which I have ministred To cool Ambitions Feaver Zemes. Pardon Sir your holinesse mistakes my malady another sicknesse grates my tender brest and I am ill at heart alas I stand an abject now as well in Natures eye as erst I did in Fortunes is my health fled with mine honour and the common rest of man grown stranger to me in my grief some unknown cause hath bred through all my blood a colder operation then the juice of Hemlock can produce O wretched man look down propitious Godheads on my woes Phoebus infuse into me the sweet breath of cheerefull health or else infectious death If there an Angel be whom I have crost in my tormented boldnesse and these griefes are expiatory punishments of sin now now repentance strike quite through my heart enough of paines enough of bitter smart have ty'd me to 't I have already bin bolted from joy content can enter in not at the open passage of my heart I neither hear nor see nor feel nor touch with pleasure my vexation is so much my grave can only quit me of annoy that prevents mischief which can bring no joy Exit Bish Now I could curse what mine own hand hath don and wish that he would vomit out the draught of direful poyson which infects his blood Ambitious fire why 't is as clean extinct as if his heart were set beneath his feet grief hath boil'd out the humours of vain pride and he was meer contrition Enter a messenger What 's the news Messen Zemes as now he left you pale and wan dragging his weake leggs after him did fall dead on the stony pavement of the Hall not by unhappy chance but as he walkt folding his arms up in a pensive knot and railing at his Fate as if he stag'd the wounded Priam or some falling King so he oft lifting up his closing eye sunk faintly down groan'd out I dye I dye Bish It grieves my soul let Bajazet know this could our own shortned life but lengthen his by often sighs I would transfuse my breath into his brest and call him back from death Exit Actus 3. Scena 5. Enter
rather hang my self then endure this Baja. Nay come be patient and I le use thee well why 't was a Scepter strook thee and t will work diviner operation in thy blood then thou canst dream of Dwarf I 'de rather be struck cross the teeth with a pudding then cross the back with a Scepter Ba. A man would guess so that over-views the dimensions But to thy business he caries out the course Enter Bassaes Bassaes stand ye round Stay who comes here sure I should know that stature observe him nearely Enter Mahomates disguised Bassaes T is no Courtier Mahom. Mahomates 't is time to look about Selymus fled Achomates ador'd My name scarce heard of through the popular streets had that unhappy arm of that damn'd Monk not staggerd from the mark at which he aim'd who ever sent him hither I had leapt into the empty throne and cropt the fruit budding from treasons root but I le return back to my Province this unknown disguise shall search my Fathers closest policies Exit Isa Mahomates disguis'd Baja. By heaven 't was he He pryes into my counsels let it be Wee 'l forward in our businesse which being done wee l cool the hot ambition of each son as mine already is quick moving time hath cast a snowy whitenesse on my haires and frosty age hath quel'd the heat of youth mine intellectual eyes which ever yet gaz'd on the worlds rich guilded vanities are now turn'd inward and behold within dismal confusion of unpardoned sin E'r since I first was setled on this Throne my cares have clog'd the swiftnesse of the hours and wrought a tedious irksomenesse of life murders have mask'd the forehead of the Sun with purple-coloured clouds and he hath blusht at the blood-sucking cruelty of state There 's not one little angle of this Court whose guilty wals have not conceal'd a knot of traitors squaring out some hideous plot against my safety now at last I spie the dangers of perplexed Majesty And were it not for a religious fear of after-harms which wretchedly might tear and spoyl the body of this Monarchy here at this instant would I strike the sayl and proud top-gallant of mine eminence hurle up my scepter dis-inthrone my self and let the green heads scramble for the Crown Age hath taught me a stayder providence then my rash youth could reach to I intend to place this glittering bable on the head of some successor e'r I yet am dead So give it out thereby I le try the love and favour of the people whom they seem most to affect I 'le raise to that esteem How do you like the counsel Chers As we could like a voice of health sent from the careful gods This news will lay the fury of your sons and breed low duty in them all in hope of the reward propos'd Exeunt Bajazet Cherseogles Manent Mustapha Isaack Mesithes Ashmehemides Isa Awake preventions eyes we must not sleep if we would see proud Bajazet displac't and Selymus elated to his height Name him the people favours he affects Achomates and knows the multitude wrapt with his heavenly wisdom cry for him we must be quick and wary here are keyes left and lay'd up by Selymus that store shall visit empty purses and inchaunt the needy sort of men that the ones wealth shall weigh up t'others wisdom in the scale of their light judgment lend your best endeavours wee 'le cross thee Bajazet and thy hopes shall dye by thine own ill-contrived policy Exeunt Actus 4. Scena 2. Enter Bajazet takes Asmehemedes by the hand a Courtier belonging to Mahomates Baja. Leave us we would be private with our friend 't is thou must doo 't sweet Asmehemedes Mahomates and thou art two neare friends he will suspect in others close deceit thee for thy generous vertues he will stand with obvious embracements to receive into his bosom whither when thou art wound in be sure to strike him through the heart I am offended 't is just piety to sacrifice his body at the shrine of my displeasure do it I am thine Asme Were he as deare to me as the half part of mine own body as the breath I draw I 'de do this charge we mortals must obey when gods command and Emperors are they Exit Baja. So willing to be damn'd had I adjoyn'd some vertuous office surely he would then have said that good deeds are not deeds of men But let them go Mahomates must dye and for my other boy fierce Selymus the boystrous hand of war must snatch him hence my other Son Corcutus lives immur'd within Minerua's cloister thus I clear a path through which Achomates shall run up to my throne when all their hopes are done Exit Actus 4. Scena 3. Enter Achomates Acho. The promise was direct and absolute to bless my Temples with a sacred Crown with protestations of a quick dispatch ere his own right were cancelled by fate so to cut off all rivals in my joyes What intercedent chance hath made his care so slack in the performance by heaven I fear delayes will prove delusions of my hopes and that home-bred Mercurian Selymus will split the expectation of my blisse forefend it Mahomet or I shall be a sad revenger of indignitie How now What speaks this bold intrusion Enter a Messenger Messen Health to Achomates from Bajazet Acho. From Bajazet unfold thy welcome newes How fares our Noble Father Messen In full health and wills you thus by me to muster up your surest forces and with moderate hast repair unto the Court where you shall find employments worthy of a valorous mind Acho. To muster arms can'st thou surmise the cause Messen With confidence I dare not but t is said against that haughty Noble Selymus who of the Tartar King implored ayd to an uncertain end himself gives out to fight with Hungary and stretch the bounds of the old Turkish regiment But fame with panting voice bids Bajazet beware and whispers in his eare he is the foe Proud Selymus intends to overthrow Acho. Enough regreet our Father with our love tell him we shall not sleep to his command Exit Fly nimbly back Dares the audacious boy trouble the world with his tempestuous arms I le chastise him with iron whips of war if either strength or stratagems will serve to spoyl the gaudy plumes of his high crest I l'e use the strongest violence of both I am swoln big with hate and I could break untimely passage with a wholesom stab to vent the monster strangled in my womb Father I come he that detaines a Crown bequeath'd to me must thunder-strike me down Enter Corcutus Corcu. Buzzing reports have pierc't my study walls and clog'd my meditations airy wings by which I mount above the moving spheares and search the hidden closets of the heaven I cannot live retir'd but I must hear mine own wrongs sounded in my troubled eare What! will my father falsifye that oath In which he vow'd successions right to me When I
resign'd my honours up to him he deeply swore when the usurping Sun of his bright-shining royalty had run It 's compleat course through the whole heaven of state and fainting dropt into the Western lapse my brightness next should throw it's golden beames upon the worlds wide face and over-peer the dusky clouds of hidden privacy and shall Achomates succeed Shall he shine in the spangled robes of Majesty then Bajazet is false let it be so I am secur'd from a huge masse of woe Yet I le toth ' Court that when Achomates shall spie mee and remember but my due 't will staine his lustre with a blushing hue Enter Bajazet Cherseogles Baja. My cares are grown too great to be compriz'd within the narrow compasse of my brest Vice-roy of Greece I le powre into thy heart part of my secrets which being entred in locke them as close up as thou wouldst a sinne committed yet not knowne I must impart things worth thy faithfull silence Chers Worthy Sir by the inclosure of my soule I sweare Baja. I le not heare out thine oath in briefe 't is thus the Bassaes are all false and love not us Nor doth my brain-sicke fury prompt me thus I read it in their gestures conventicles actions and counsells my suspitious eye hath found a great breach in their loyalty Chers Surely this cannot bee Bajazet By 't is true each man that guards mine honour is my foe I le shake these splendent robes of Majesty from my ore-burden'd shoulders and to ease my selfe bequeath them to Achomates Cherse Achomates Baja. Even he unlesse the voyce Of the whole Citie interdict my choice Enter Isaacke Mesithes Mustapha Cherse Here comes the Bassaes sure I see bad newes pourtrayed on the Index of their fronts Baja. Bad newes We have out-liv'd good dayes too long we can expect no other come unclaspe volumes of misciefes and make deafe my eares with an infused multitude of cares Bassaes Young Selymus hath crost Danubius floud and seiz'd upon the Provinces of Thrace and with a Navie plow'd the Euxine Sea Baja. Peace bellowing night-ravens with how cheerefull noise their puffing lungs croke out the balefull note Are these the warres ' gainst Hungary You powers of heaven brush off your cloddy patience If you but winke at these notorious crimes I 'le say you dare not check our stubborne times Well as yet I 'le make use of his pretence Vize-roy of Greece beare you this Embassie to that suspected Traytor Selymus Tell him the warres ' gainst the Hungarian foe are full of dangers and approved harmes never attempted by our Ancestors without repulse or damage bid him dismisse his rough Tartarian youths then if he stand Unmov'd and stiffe feigne vengeance is at hand make thy best speed Cherse I shall T will be well done to reconcile a Father and a Sonne Exit Baja. Thought he tumultuous uprores could deserve the favours of his Prince h 'as troad awry and mist the path that leades to Majestie These bright Imperious ornaments shall grace no rebell-monster nor base runne-away my resolution 's firme it shall not be Bassaes this day an Herauld shall proclaime in the worlds eare my great successours name are you content Bassaes We are Bajaz. Call forth an Herauld Isaak As our alleageance bindes us wee 'le obey Exit Mustapha calls in an Herauld But what we grant the Souldiers will gaine-say Aside Thou shalt not thrive in this I dare be bold my golden hookes hove ta'ne a faster hold Baja. Herauld be my loud Eccho ratifie my deede and say Achomates shall next succeede Herauld Bajazet the second by the appointment of our great Prophet Mahomet the onely Monarch of the World a mighty God on earth an invincible Caesar King of all Kings from the East unto the West Governour of Greece Sultan of Babylon Soveraigne of Persia and Armenia triumphant Tutor of Jerusalem Lord possessour of the Sepulcher of the Crucified God subverter and sworne enemie of the Christians and of all that call upon Christ proclaimeth Achomates his second son next and immediate successour An alarm of Trumpets Within None but Bajazet none but Bajazet Bajaz. By heaven they are corrupted none but I 'T is no love borne to me that moves this cry Mesith Great Bajazet the cause why they deny this just proposall riseth from an use and customary licence long observ'd to wit when their crown'd Emperour is dead the interpos'd vacation is a time of lawlesse freedome then they dare to spoile the Jewish Merchants of their traffick wares and prey upon all strangers so that should your Honour be conferr'd upon your sonne Whilst you your self yet breath then should they lose their long expected gaines therefore refuse what you propos'd Bajaz. If that be all the cause wee 'le give them such a Kingly donative as doubly shall buy out those ill-got spoiles five hundred thousand Duckats if they please with my free choise to crowne Achomates Proclaim'd to be their due A flourish of Trumpets Herauld Bajazet the second by the appointment of our great Prophet Mahomet c. proclaimeth that hee 'le attribute five hundred thousand Duckats if you yeeld alleageance to Achomates his successor Trumpets sound againe Within None but Bajazet none but Bajazet Baja. Achomates I sent for how hee 'le digest these grosse illusions I may justly feare by this I had discourag'd Selymus and kill'd his hopes by this I had cut off the growth of hate and choked discords seed Exit Enter Mustapha with a Messenger to the other Bassaes Mustaph Beare this to Selymus with thy best care Mesith And this Give him Letters Isaack And this fly let thy winged speed return a sudden answer else we bleed Actus 4. Scena 5. Enter Selymus Tartarian King Attendants Tartar Goe on brave Prince Lead on thy marshal'd troups degrade the Turkish Monarch let him faint at the deepe wounds which thy revengefull hand shall print upon the bosome of his land Goe on Me thinks I see Victoria sit triumphant on thy steely Burganet Exit Tartarian King Selym. Farewell now I will meete thee Bajazet with a careere as free as if Heavens Jove had bid me goe Bespeake the stoutest gods to take thy part tell them that thou must meete a Selymus who when the warres are done will scale the Forts and Castles of the Sunne breake up the brazen gates of Acheron and bury Nature with the world together Captaines leade on Now shall the sword and fire by publique ruines crowne my just desire Sleepe Hungary I 'le not breake off thy rest with the unwelcome Musick of my Drummes I 'le turne the edge of my revengefull sword upon the bosome of my native soyle There dwels the motive of my Tragick wars whose ruthlesse sad Catastrophe shall wound posterity in us Infants shall mourne over their Fathers tombs as yet unborne But who comes here I 'le meete him Noble Vize-roy Enter Cherseogles Cherseo Peace and health to Selymus Selym. Health but not peace whilst yonder light
What stranger 's this my blessed Genius haunts me Isaack I take thee in with open love What speaks thy Presence Isa Good newes to Selymus Sely. From whom Isa From Bajazet Sely. 'T is strange if good Isa And full as good as strange March quickly hence I 'le tell you as we walk if constant Chance smile on our project e're this Sun go down we may salute you with a glorious Crown Sely. I follow even to death Grand Mars to thee I 'le build an Altar if thou prosper me Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 4. Enter Achomates and Souldiers Acho. Revenge my black impiety each brow seemes with a scornful laughter to deride those empty Menaces of Bajazet And Bajazet is not our Father now sith he hath wrong'd the duty of a Son but a scorn'd Enemy whose prostrate soul shall make a step by which I will ascend up to the radiant throne of heavenly State if you but lend your help and free consent Souldiers Lead us along the mysty banks of hell through Seas of danger and the house of death we are resolv'd to follow one by one to second each step of Achomates Acho. This resolution is as great as just continue it brave spirits he 's a slave that having sinn'd dares not defend his sin The world shall know I dare For though our cause be wrong yet wee 'l make good the breach of laws Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 5. Enter Bajazet and Corcutus Cor. Would I had slept with Trizham and that hand that strangled Mahomet had stopt my breath rather then live to see my selfe thus wrong'd Baja. Despaire not sweet Corcutus what I promis'd I 'le keep most true and here again I vow when I am dead this honour to thy brow I have call'd home that rebel Selymus only to tame a Traytor And that done we have no other heire no other son beside Corcutus to whose free command we do bequeath the duty of this land Enter Mesithes and Mustapha Is Isaack not return'd Mesi My Liege he is Musta And Selymus with him Baja. Let them approach Enter Selymus and Isaack as they enter speak Isa Let your high spirit shrink below it self in a dissembled shew of penitence Sely. Tush I can bow as if my joynts were oyld and tumble at his feet Isa Practise your skill Selymus fals at Bajazets feet Bajâ— Lesse shew and more good meaning Selymus Arise these crouching feates give slender proofes of inward loyalty Sely. Right noble Father mine expedition to avenge your cause upon the head of proud Achomates be my just trial Baja. Hast then May thy arm by breathless treason raise up a full joy and turn that monster back unto the earth from whence it leapt A most prodigious birth Sely. We flie to the performance who both dare and will correct his boldnesse now we tread the path to honour and methinks I heare the peoples Vivat Eccho in mine eare Exit Selymus with the Bassaes Baja. New insolence The Bassaes slipt away How the obsequious villaines honour him as if he were their Godhead Cherseogles I suspect some plotted mischief else they durst not leave your person thus unguarded Baja. Plot and hang. We weigh not all their treasons at a straw one must not rule too long 't is subjects law Exeunt Passe over the stage Bassaes and Souldiers carrying Selymus aloft and crying out Long live Selymus Vivat Selymus Magnificent Emperor of the Turks Exeunt Enter Bajazet and Cherseogles Baja. Hell and the furies vex their damned souls What people Ha! what Nation is' t we live in Is' t our State and Monarchy Good gods two Emperors at once Live Selymus Can slavish vassals thus supplant their Prince What 's this enshrines my head a type for fooles to flear at a divided ornament Faile not my sense and courage let me live to finde my self again Vize-roy of Greece didst thou not see a Bajazet withdraw and vanish hence tell thou most faithful man what is become of that forgetful name or who hath stole it from me Selymus Oh that damn'd viliaine with his treacherous plot hath rob'd me of that glory Death of sense I have a soul of Adamant or Steel else had that hated noise reft it in twain Enter Mesithes What art thou or whence com'st thou Mesi From a Prince Ba. Yet I believe thee Mesi From thine enemy Ba. Yet I believe thee Mesith From the Emperour Baja. And I beleeve thee still yet slave thou liest these pâ—rts must know no Emperour but me unlesse base usurpation hath stept up unto my chaire of honour Right 't is so 't is so indeed Wel then what wil your Emperour Mesi That by my hand you yeeld him up his crown Baja Traytor his crown so now I am resolv'd I have forgone my selfe else had this hand tore out thy spottedheart and that one word of yeelding had been cause enough to spoyle thee and thy generation Heartlesse slave why sneak'st thou from our presence stay behold here commend this gorgeous ornament these trappings to thy Emperour as full bestead with curses as my heart with woes that it my clogge his eares and vex his head with daily terrours Hence thy prince is sped Exit Mesithes Vize-roy of Greece to thee our last farewell thou worthiest truest best deserving man that ever made us happy if thy faith respect me not my fortune do this charge fly to Achomates and rather aide him then this faithlesse Bastard Selymus the scandall of our race the mark for heaven to shoot revenge But all in vaine I strive to word away my inward paine Cherseo Nor this nor that I 'le favour may I speed Bajazet shall live to see both bleed Exit Baja. Maske up thy brighthesse Phoebus lovely night hurle thy thick mantle over all the heavens let this black day for ever be forgot in the eternall registers of time which of you sacred powers are not asham'd to see a Prince so sinfully abus'd by his owne issue and unreveng'd Enter Selymus and Bassaes But stand we who comes here a face of brasse else would it blush now thou Saturnine Jove thou God of great men thunder that the world drench'd all in sin may shake and feare that noise that horrid scourge of villanies Sely. Father Baja. Slave avaunt I feele a strong Antipathy t'wixt thee and me thy sight makes my dead heart distill fresh drops of blood and work new smart Exit Sely. What furious Bajazet and raging hot I hugge the amorous pleasure that I feel creep through my joynts Observe our Father Exeunt Bassaes else by some wilfull murder hee 'le prevent my purpos'd project I 'de not lose the guilt of his destruction for a crown heaven knows I love him better then to let him digge himself a grave whilst I may take the paines Now mount my soul and let my soaring plumes brush the smooth surface of the Azure skie Crown in his hand With this I charme obeysance from the world thou golden counterfeit of
me here before you Achom. Be so who denies to strike in time can seldome hope to rise Exit Cher These two will meet and I must take doth parts Now for a trick to send them both to hell in the full growth of expectation Heavens know they have deserv'd it then 't would be an happy murder and behold the men Enter Bassaes whom I have decreed should do it Once againe I must betake me to my former note Health to the friends of our great Emperor the three strong pillars that uphold true worth Isa Sir your intrusion is unseasonable Must And your salute impardonably bold Che. Perhaps the news I bring may frame excuse for both these faults Mesi Speake out thy mind in brief Cher. Then thus to night here present on this plain you may encounter two fierce enemies Achomates and Cherseogles both at the full stroak of twelve Isa How Mesithes we 're blest Must This night at twelve of the clock Cher. Upon my life Omnes VVhat shall we do Cher. But meet me on this plain at the appointed hour and I will place you three aside from whence you shall oppress your foes at unawares Mesi Is it a match Isa 'T is done at twelve a clock Must See thou prove faithful Cher. If I shrink in ought that I profess death strike me to the grave So thrive all falshood each perjur'd slave Exeunt Bassaes How easily base minds are drawn to strike their foes at least advantage Beauteous moon pale witnesse to a thousand deeds of sin vail up thy light that darknesse may help on these black stratagems and unhallowed hands strike in mistaken bodies even the soul themselves adore and cheerfully defend But time grows fast upon me hit all right two Princes and three Bassaes dye this night Actus 5. Scena 7. Enter Corcutus with his Lute Cor. Heaven whither run these projects is the thought of man so senslesse void of wit yet fraught with threatning ambition to what end doth this distempered madnesse headlong bend Blesse me my Genius from these hated toyles of murdering warfare and these sweating broyles of watchfull policy Phoebus let it be that I may know no other god but thee Learned experience saies ambiguous fates vex eminent fortunes and he onely stands without the beames of envy whom the hands of some propitious power hath rankt below those short delights that troubled thoughts do know A Crown 's a golden marke which being hit falls not alone but oft the head with it honors are smoaky nothings then let the Queen of learning great Minerva and the nine chast sisters that adorne the Grecian hill devote me to themselves but let me still within Apollos sacred Temple sit and spend my body to encrease my wit Raigne Selymus for I shall ne're thee hate thy supreame power nor envy thy state Corcutus stands divorced from a life engag'd to vaine ambition factious strife and empty power of Kings Hee 's great in fame not who seekes after but neglects the same Since thou hast griev'd me Phoebus free my wit that I may ease my griefe by speaking it if thou deny'st fond god 't will be in vaine sorrow can sing though thou not tune the straine Sings to his Lute Then thou sweet Muse from whence there flows words able to expresse our ill Teach me to warble out my woes and with a sigh each accent fill Infuse my brest with doleful straines Whose heavy note may speak my paines O let me sigh and sighing weep Till night deprives my woes with sleep The pleasing murmurs of the ayre that gently fan each moving thing I having heard straight do repayre and bear a burden whilst I sing An heavy burden doleful song The fathers grief the subjects wrong O let me sigh and sighing weep Till night beguiles my woes with sleep The grieved Flora hangs the head of every youthful plant and tree And flowry pleasures are starke dead at my lamenting melody Then all you Muses help my straine To reach the depth of bitter paine Oh let me sigh and sighing weep Till night beguiles my woes with sleep Me thinks I heare the singing spheares tune their melodious straines to mine The dewie clouds dissolve in teares as if they griev'd to see me pine Thus each thing joynes to see my mone Thus seldome come true sighs alone Then let me sigh and sighing weep Till night beguile my woes with sleep He sleeps Then enter two murtherers who slaying him bear him away Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 8. Enter Cherseogles Cher. A dark and heavy night as if the gods winckt at our projects and had clad the heavens in a propitious black to blesse my plot Revenge to thee I dedicate this work and I will pamper thy wild appetite with blood and murther thy dull slow-pac't feet shall caper to behold our fearful scenes drencht in a scarlet Ocean T is full twelve I hear a quiet foot-pace and it beates directly towards 'T is Selymus joy of expectation Enter Selymus Sely. Thou Queen of shades bright Cynthia and you starry lampes of heaven what spheare hath told you oh y' are envious all and therefore hate to grace the time in which I ruinate my latest foe this is the sand on which I am to wrestle for a Crowne and I am entred full of greedy lust to meet my adverse champion here 's my god whom I adore with greater confidence then all those beauties Sun or Moon or Starrs that with malicious absence have disrob'd this gracious houre of i'ts due respect Oh thou the silent darknesse of the night arme me with desperate courage and contempt of gods-lov'd men now I applaud the guile of our brave roarers which select this time to drink and swagger and spurn at all the powers of either world Blest mortals had that mother strangled her other infant white fac't day and brought forth only night my limbs are stiff and I must bath them in my brothers blood I le steep this grasse in a red purple goare scatter the carcasse peecemeale and that done I le reare a lasting monument I le signe a trophie which inscrib'd shall speak my deeds to after ages that 's my chief intent Hee 's coldly prays'd that 's written innocent Whose there my souldier Che. Souldier and slave great Prince at your command Sely. I will enoble thee place thee my second self in all my power for thy rare faith Where 's our Achomates Cher. I heard one softly track full hitherwards and think t is he 't is needful that I meet him and give some proof that I continue his else jealous of my faith he will return and we be both deluded when y' are met parley before you fight till I prepare my self to run upon him unaware Mean while I le go to meet him Exit Sely. Goe make hast But if this base raskal should deceive my trust a trifle my nerves are plumped up and fil'd with vigor strong enough to fright a million of such
big backt drowsie slaves I hear them both approach Enter Cherseogles and Achomates Cher. See where he stands I shall not be slow to second your encounter being met parley before you fight till I prepare my self to run upon him unaware meane while I 'le withdraw now for my Bassaes Exit Acho. A time of dismal blacknesse and my soul is dull and heavy as if envious night striv'd to subdue my fatal watchfulnesse But I have rush'd upon my foe whose there Sely. Answer thy Prince first I say what art thou Acho. He that usurp's hath title of a villaine Sely. But he that weares it is a Saint and such am I. Acho. Th' art a treacherous slave Sely. Achomates thou lyest this night shall prove I shrinke not to unmaske what I have done Acho. Oh heavens so impudently bad Sely. Good brother we know your vertues one that gains country gods and men slew an Ambassadour which here we must revenge Acho. Hearke in thine eare I le whisper forth thy mischiefs lest the heavens should teare and snatch them hence from my revenge in greedinesse of wrath They whisper Enter Cherseogles Isaack Mesithes Mustapha Cher. See where they stand Isaack Achomates and Cherseogles Cher. Both They are two we soure le ts run upon them 'T is very dark be certain in your aime and all strike home Omnes A match Mesi Isaack and I will take the nearest Musta And we the other Cher. Strike home and sure and here 's at them Stab him Sely. I have the Crown and I will Oh oh oh stab him Acho. Oh ô ô O villaine I am slain uterque morit Cher. It is not Cherseogles we have slain Isa Not Cherseogles villaine whom then speak They confer Cher. Achomates and Selymus Isa Ha! Cher. None other Isa Hast thou betray'd us so Cher. Be silent heare me There lie the Captaines of both Armies dead breathlesse and you so stupid to neglect the use of opportunities Isa What use Cher. Are you not rich wealthie in powerful gold go whilst the Souldiers lye thus destitute of any Leader frankly bribe both parts buy their unsetled love at any rate and creep into their bosome then in this dead want and dearth of Princes they will cleave to Isaack and at length salute Isa Me Emperor Cher. You apprehend it right Isa What blessed angel art thou Cher. 'T is no time for idle complements Isa Thy counsel 's good I would not let slip this sweet occasion for all the pretious plenty of the world come let 's away Cher. First make some quick dispatch with these now rivalls Isa True they 'le not endure my Soveraignty Hast no suddain wits how to remove them both Cher. No wile but strength are not we two They are no more we must encounter them 't is man to man the match no whit unequal Isa I am thine I hate to have co-partners in my state There shall not breath a man whose envious eye dares look a squint on my dread Majesty Mesi They that bring news first are still most welcome Musta Experience speaks it true Mes Let us hast Now Selymus we come to gratulate Isaack Stay Cherseo Stand. Mes How Mustaph VVhat meanes this Isaack Fate to your lives They fight Isaack is slaine Musta Sweet doings Isaack 'T is no lesse Sir witnesse this traytor I 'me slaine Moritur Cherseog Crosse fortune wicked chance but I must make the best of it Is he dead Mes Villaine he is and thy bad turne is next what devil did incite thee to incite Isaack ' gainst friends Injurious slave Must Urge him to no confession till the rack force from his closest thought unwilling truth He shall be doom'd for this notorious fact unto continuall paines hunger oppression want and slavery Mes That struck me full Have at thee hold thou art victor I have met the price of treason death and as I hop'd to rise by blood I fall so have I mist my scope delusion is the end of lawlesse hope Moritur Cherse Mesithes stay one moment art thou gone I am not far behinde I feele the blood by slow degrees ebb from my fainting brest I am heart struck and wounded even to death a Scene of slaughter this O just heavens still I plighted faith to each of these I wisht that if I fail'd in one I vow'd death should thus strike me I have gain'd my wish Then you imperiall Fates that intercept the brittle courses of fraile mortality continue this firme justice and enact a constant law that all false meaning hearts that think of oathes as of a puffe of wind may as I do thus sink into the grave my dying wish so thrive each perjur'd knave Moritur Enter Souldiers Soul 1 The night overblown and five a clock I wonder at their absence what are these our Generalls murdered our deere Selymus with his three Bassaes and Achomates Whose bloody hand is guilty of this fact Soul 2. A trembling shakes me 't was some power that frown'd at our proceedings Soul 3. Bajazet is new borne to his Soveraignty Soul 4. Let 's take their bodies bear them hence in unto their greatnesse and advise the foe of their slaine Generall sterne Achomates sound peacefull rumours we must resubmit to Bajazet so heaven hath thought it fit Exeunt Actus 5. Scen 9. Enter Bajazet and Haman with a book and candle Baja. Set down the book and candle go and provide the Potion to prevent my Feaver-fit till when I meane to study go make hast Exit Haman Fortune I thank thee thou' rt a gracious Whore thy happy anger hath immur'd a prince within the walls of base security Farewell thou swelling sea of Government on whose bright christall bosom floates along the gravell'd vessell of proud Majesty Ambition empty all thy bagge of breath send forth thy blast among the quiet waves and work huge tempests to confound the Art of the usurping Pilat Selymus Treason and envy like two bickering windes shake the unsetled fabrick of his State that from my study windowes I may laugh to see his broken fortune swallowed up in the quick-sands of danger and the sayle puft with the calm breath of a flattering chance by furious whirl-winds rended into rags and peece-meal scattered through the Ocean But peace my chiding spirit come thou man Takes the book of rare instinct blest Author of a book worthy the studies of a reading God thou do'st present before my wearied eyes Tiberius sweating in his policies dull Claudius gaged by dull flattery Nero unbowelling Nobility Galba undone by servants hardly good Otho o're-whelmd in love and drencht in blood Vitellius sleeping in the chaire of State Vespatian call'd to government by Fate still as my Muse doth travel o're their age a Princes care is writ in every Page Thus I unfold the volume of thy writ the chiefest solace of my moving wit Caedes eo fuit nobilior quia filius He reads Patrem interfecit Tacit. Hist lib. 20. Avaunt thou damn'd wizard did
teares broke vowes loath'd appetites luxurious and unsatiate desires Were all these of women equally weighed that vertue in thy brest 't will out-balance all and recompence the ruine of all thy Sexe Enter a Servant and speakes Serv. So please your Majesty L. Schahin 's ready for entrance with his Masque Am. Tell him we 're wholly bent for expectation Exit Serv. Sit sit my Queene Musicke exceed your Spheares thinke I am Jove and Godlike please our eares Scena 4. Actus 1. A Masque Enter from aloft two Torch-bearers then Jupiter and Juno and two Torch-bearers more then Mars and Venus and two Torch-bearers more then Apollo and Pallas and two more Torch-bearers then Neptune and Diana Whilst they are descending Cupid hanging in the Ayre sings to soft Musicke this Song following Cupid sings Gaze you mortals gaze you still On the Gods now looke your fill Jove and Juno are descending Yet her Jealousie 's not ending Mars sterne Mars he will not fight But with Venus when 't is Night Daphne crownes Apollos head Whom she would embrace in Bed Neptune swels his frothy cheeke Cause Diana is not meeke Gaze you mortals c. Jup. Come now my Sister and Wife wee 'l begin to court afresh Nay loure not Heavens Queene here on this greene we 'll a Lavalto dance What if our haires grow silver yet our strength Is young and vigorous Say fellow Gods Since we are full of Nectar and our cares Lye drencht in our Nepenthe take your Queenes and be All joviall Mars for our Daughter Venus Apollo joyne with Pallas Brother of Flouds embrace Diana Gods sometimes merry be but in the night when mortals may not see Each God as appointed by Jove takes his Goddesse they dance a Masque dance and in the dance Juno observes Joves glances to Eumorphe and at the end of the dance speaketh thus Jup. How now wanton Can I no where goe for recreation but you follow me Jun. Is this your recreation Fye My Lord will you be wanton still For here you came Points at Eumorphe For some new Harlot some new Queene for you Jup. Juno Wife Juno Your Sister thunderer and not your Wife Banisht from Heaven I am and your Bed resigne them both to Strumpets Concubines Points at Eumorphe And now you come to see a fresh new lasse in which Pole now or in what part of heaven shall she be stellified Jupit. Shall still sinister thoughts wrong our intent wel Juno wel you 'le ever be a woman a very very woman But since she scolds Let 's hence yee Gods lest her infectious breath blast the succeeding day and mortals curse her hel-bred jealousie Calumnious woman Come scold in heaven For if Gods liv'd on Earth suspicious tongues would blame most innocent mirth Here all the Gods and Goddesses ascend at the top of the ascent Juno stops and speakes Jun. Wel Jove lookt pale I toucht him to the quick 't is some new Minion he came downe to see Harke jealousie know Juno is a woman Am I not mad yet Mistris Bride adieu Jove shall not steale a kisse My curse is past when thou sleep'st first a Bride mayst sleepe thy last Exit Cupid Faire Bride I sang thy Epithalamy and left Elysium for thy Nuptials Juno here thundered ' against the Thunderer knowing how thy beauty dazles hers she durst not let heavens King once glance a looke but threatned with her helbred incantations to metamorphise thine unparall'ell'd and most caelestial shape into worse formes And more prodigious than ever poysoned charmes wrought on the fabled Concubines of Jove but know great Queene my Mother Venus vowes her everlasting guard to save such beauty Lest if thou perish Nature her selfe lose her onely parterne of serenity But I must hast Love which the Gods protect can never be indangered by neglect Ascend 't Amur. Schahin thine Art is excellent but say doe Gods fall out for love amongst themselves Scah. My Lord these are but fables yet to make the shew more pertinent and to grace your Queene conceipt tooke leave to put the frowne on Iuno Eum. My Lords and friends we shall be ever thankfull and rest a Debtor to your curtesie Schah. Not so faire Queen but durst I now entreat the Kings detaining from the sweets of Bed there yet remaines one thought upon conceipt which you would doubly grace me to behold Amur. Our worthy Tutor shall obtaine a night a night of us in any case we can Scah. But then let me informe your Majesty that 't is a warriors shew which once you loved but now are free from Amur. 't is best of all with greedinesse we 'l see it O how the soule doth gratulate it selfe when safely it beholds the dangerous state of others and it selfe security free Glad are we still to stand upon the shore and see afarre off others tost i' th' Sea or in a Gallery at a Fencers stage we laugh when mutually each one takes wounds Sit still Eumorphe Schahin thy shew in hast 'T is best delight to thinke on troubles past Scena 5. Actus 1. Enter in Masque the Ghost of Hector and Achilles to them Alexander the great stands gazing on t em whilst Fame speakes from aloft Fame Stay you most worthy shades brave Hector stay And proud Achilles know your massie Tombes which have so long orewhelm'd your valiant bones yawnes wide to let the imprisoned coarses forth I must afresh imbalme your sacred Trunkes and sweet your memory with most happy oyle of just report the Gods awakt me Fame from out the oblivious Sepulcher of sleepe to drop that Inke into old Homers pen wherewith he curiously hath lin'd your names enfolding them in Everlasting Cedar and make them live to all posterity Vertue to valour hath his guift assign'd great men may dye yet deeds still rest in mind Exeunt umbrae Hectoris Achilis Manet Alexander looking after them reading in Homer Alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most fortunate young man whose worth is crown'd with everlasting Trophies of renowne how hath he set thee on the wings of fame which soare i' th middle region of high glory propos'd to all a never dying story Enter to Alexander Philoxenus a Captaine Phil. May it please thee Sonne of Jupiter to accept a Present which our fight enricht us with Alex. Is it a Band of stubborn Souldiers Captaine Philox. O no my Liege of exquisite form'd Ladies Darius his wife the wonder of her Sexe Besides a Troope of such shap't Ganimedes that Love not equals Alex. Philoxenus We thanke thee Yet harke there is a secret we would know of thee and you must tell Us on your faith you must Phil. My Leige Alex. Nay no Court oyle by your leave no flattery we are but man this very trunke of ours Is but a Vessell fild with humane blood and we trust not that Parasite like pen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the destroying vices of fraile man I may be subject to but what base loosenesse or supple Luxury
didst thou ere observe so to benumne our sense that thou shouldst thinke we could be pleas'd with such effeminate Presents Know sir our eyes shall have that abstinence that will not looke on them on boyes or women Hence then and present some coward with them Exit Philoxenus Give me a spectacle would please the Gods and make them bend their Ivorie browes to the Earth a man a Souldier strong with his wounds ' mongst fate and ruine upright and unshap't his minde being all his guard his wall and armour and if he fall still noble wrath remaines in his amased Trunke not all the darts stucke in his sides making him all one wound affright his courage but wrath lending weapons himselfe doth seeme a new and horrid Warre Nor are those Milke-sops which beguile the time with stealing minutes from their Ladies lips such as the Gods doe love for as the Winde loseth it's force if it be not oppos'd with woods of strong and stubborne planted trees So Virtue if it walke in troden paths That breakes up honours gap and makes the way through pathes of death that flame burnes strong which is resisted valor shines in wrong Of Alexanders Souldiers be this said warre was as peace when he the army led Exit Fame Brave Macedon how truly hast thou weighed the reason of mans birth who is equall borne for all the world as well as for himselfe the world 's a field too narrow for thy worth and allthough Nature hath her enacted bounds for Sea and earth nay for the heavens themselves nor Sea nor earth shall coope thy valour up Valour of Nature ever this attaines that it breakes forth farre and beyond her chaines and this I le trumpet out The whole worlds Ball in which thou art so great to thee is small When men want worlds to shew their vertue in that is the crime o' th Gods and not their sinne 'T is a decree of a true Souldiers mind to thinke nought done when ought is lest behind On valiant youth for know I will appoint a Grecian Prince who so shall steepe his quill to paint thy name in Wels of eloquence that this thy scorne of Lust shall be propos'd for Kings example to posterity Know mortals that the men the Gods most love in hard and dangerous Arts they alwayes prove When men live brave at first then fall to crimes their bad is Chronicle to future times For who begins good Arts and not proceeds he but goeth backward in all noble deeds Death consecrates those men whose awfull end though most men feare yet all men must commend ascends Amurath seemes troubled yet collecting himselfe dissembles his Passion speakes Am. Scahin the Macedon's heholding to thee and history shall pay you thankes for this which we rest Debtors for Scah. Great Prince such kindnesse of acceptance payes For things which are but for a Kings delight in seeing them he amply doth requite Am. Eumorphe Love Queene Wife le' ts hast to Bed and may we wish this night eternall time Scahin good night good night kind gentelmen Thus when we are dead shall we revive o' th' stage one houre can present a kings whole age Exeunt omnes Actus 2. Scena 1. Enter Schahin Eurenoses Schah. Observ'd you not the Kings looks Grew they not pale Euren. O yes Lord Schahin you must be his Parent and snatch him out o' th' Gulph he 's falling in That fayned speech of Alexanders wrought like to most purging Physicke nights then blacke when 't is compar'd with day Boldnesse is cleare when 't is presented before bastard feare Schah. I le tell thee Eurenoses thou art a Souldier and I am both a Souldier and a Scholar And for these two Professions am both most glorious and most meritorious Pallas is for both O what Tysiphon what snaked scourge can make a Scholar that should never sleepe but 'twixt the Pillowes of Pernaessus Hils and dip his lips in springs of Helicon make him by snoaring on a wanton brest and suck the adulterate and spiced breath of a lewd famed woman Euren. And for a Souldier Schahin let me speake We that doe know the use of swords and fire we that doe know halters can throatle us shall we ere venture on a Womans cruelty We that endure no Lords shall we endure a woman to overcome us Most true Demophoon I reverence thy memory no pewling phrase could so enchaine thee to thy Thracian Dame but thou wouldst rather perish than she save thee I le not declaime long on that common theame but they have lust lye in their fingers ends and whilst their sweet-hearts breath stickes in their sheets they will admit another Lucrece in the day to be a Thais if the night will not gain-say Scah. Why Eurenoses why should we endure a new Queen now this Kingdom wants not heires we know should we have more 't were dangerous But harke The Queens for Bed-inticing sleepe soft Musicke with charmes of Musicke wel even such a Night may yet prove dismall ere the following Light Eurenos Scahin let 's in the first degree to purge such ils as these is to instruct the patient his disease that you have done Scah. Yea and wil yet once more adventure a new stratagem Just when the King h 'as rid his Chamber and with covetous hast thinks for to clip Elisium and drinke deepe of his long wish'd delight I having skil and uncontroul'd accesse will in disguise seem his deceased Fathers apparition and by all tyes of children to their Parents bid him forsake that vile bewitching woman Euren. An easie Medicine doth and sure wil work to rub shrewd wounds make them but fester more Foule Med'cines we worse brook than a foule sore Scena 2. Actus 2. Enter Eumorphe as to Bed in her Night-robes attended with Tapers and Ladies Menth. Madam make hast The King will be impatient if he be from you long O Happinesse Emorph. Why Menthe then thou deem'st us happy thus to command a world of services to have a King my subject and attended with these harmonious sounds t' affect our eares Menthe. Yes truely Madam 't is a happinesse Eumorph. 'T is were 't Eternal but I feare a power a womans power doth but make sport with us Why were we not once Menthe a Captive Wretch Menthe Yes Lady now your happinesse 's the more Riches please best when there went want before Eum. That power which rais'd us from so base so high can throw us downe againe as suddenly Me thinks my life is but a Players Scaene in the last Act my part was then to play a captive creature and a Queene to day Menthe. Your Morals Madam are too serious Me thinks these Ornaments should elevate your dumpish spirits Thinke this Bed a place in which no Icie slipping chance hath power A Kings safe Bed is like a guarded Tower Eum. No Menthe no 't is not the Bed of state nor the free smile of a well pleased King 't is not the embracing Armes of
and nought but horror made them to believe so many men were fighting on his side as might have chang'd my seat and part i th' world though Nature stood against to a new place or carry Sestos whereby Abydos stands or pull down Atlas with so many hands Actus 3. Scena 5. Enter Amurath with Embassadors from German Ogly concerning Bajazet Amurath's Eldest son and the Mahometans Daughter Cairadin Bassa presents Amurath with his Captives for Ianizaries c. Amurath How like our Captaines the last Victory if any can prophesie of future things me thought I did dream of this blessed hap How fortune did involve them in their ruin and flight from danger brought them in their ruine each one astonied with a suddaine feare knew not the danger that was then most neare Bassa Schahin presents Amurath with Captives for Ianizaries Bassa To adde more tryumph I present my Liege with these young Rebels which you may bring up in all the praecepts of our Mahomet Scah. And for great Emperor your person wants a thing which much ore-Clouds your light of state attendant Ianizaries to a Prince these may be so trained up as to supply the duty fit for such a Majesty Am. Bassa we thank thy strength Schahin your counsaile and to that end let them have safe protection But we must treat now of a marriage Lords the German Ogly he whose Scepter swaies the Phrygian confines in strong Asia by Embassie intreats that he may joyne his Daughter Hatum to our Bajazet Embassador here to our Counsell speak your Masters Message Emb. Please then your Maj. and these reverend heads to be inform'd my masters will by me In wedlock if your prince may be combin'd to the faire princesse his sole daughter he freely gives the Phrygian territories and Bythinia to you for your dowry Cutas Simon Egregios Sansale Abbettingon the Ottomans estate which Ottomans because he not endures the Noble Zelzucciom family protests to joyn with you in quelling their ambition Sca. May 't please your majesty to like mine advice it 's good to have alliance with such friends Kings that combine themselvs are like to shafts the ancient Sage propos'd unto his sonnes which whilst together they were close compact armes knees and his whole strength could never break take one by one they with a touch were crack'd so Kings may be orecome that stand alone but two such princes knit thus hand in hand should Nations totter they would firmely stand Am. Yes Schahin we 'll approve what thou saiest then from us carry the great Asiaes Monarch this our kindest greeting tell him the gates of Prusa shall stand ope and the glad ayre shall Eccho notes of joy to entertaine her who shall blesse our Land with hopefull issue greedy thoughts expect her soon arrivall and so Embassador enforme thy princesse when she shall appear A lasting Starr shall shine within our spheare Scen 6. Actus 3. Enter Sasmenos Lazarus Cobelitz Sas O Servia our Cities are turn'd flames each strives to hast his own and others death And as though heaven conspir'd destruction too that rains down scalding Sulphure on our heads here one that lyes thick gasping for his breath is choakt with blood that runs from 's fellows wounds whilst others for the dead are making graves themselves are made the corps that do fill them Nobles and base together perish all and a drawn sword sticks fast in every rib our stones are dy'd Vermillion with our blood old creatures that are creeping to the grave are thrust on faster Infants but in the threshold of their lives are thus kickt off Oh most disastrous times to love our deaths and make our life our crimes Laz. See see the ruins of our goodly Walls our Cities smoak hinder the sight of heaven The conqueror yet amaz'd measures out our Towns with eyes of terror and doth scarce believe he hath overcome us yet among these fires our dead men are denyed their funeral flames And those infectious carkasses do perform a second murder on the rest that live and all the hope of safety that we have is now to fix our flattering lips at 's feet mercy perhaps may wearied slaughter meet Sas Will you do so speak for I am determin'd Cob. No worthy General heaven avert and arm you with the proof of better thoughts What though a Tyrant strives to terrifie all Christendome and would not be beloved let not your feares give impious rage such scope as for to bring Religion to prophanenesse fortune and heaven will scorn to try a man that hurles his weapons hence and runs away How is he worthy of heavens victory that when it frownes dares not look up and see Me thinks we three are now inviron'd round with hosts of Angels and our powerful Mars is putting bows of steel into our hands he doth suggest our wrath and bids us on O what an army 't is to have a cause holy and just there there 's our strength indeed Tu mente Labantes Direge nos dubios et certo Robore firma If we must dye the narrow way to blisse shall be made wide for us the gate 's wide ope and the spread Palace entertaines with joy Mean time let 's look like men upon our grief our frown fate Despot Bulgaria come Turk once more at thee Tyrant mortals must command heavens favour in a case so just Exeunt Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter Aladin King of Caramania son in Law to Amurath with Nobles Embassadors from Amurath Alad. Sends our proud father-in-law this greeting to us was our sword sheath'd so soon to heare this answer Emb. My Lord he bad me tell you that 't was you have made him leave off this great Prophets wars when he was hewing down the Christians therefore submission should not now appease him no though your wife his daughter should her self upon her penitent knees be supplyant No sooner shall the Tycian splendid Sol open heavens Casements and inlarge the day but his horse hoofs shall beat your treacherous earth and that you may be warn'd of his approach murder and flames shall be his Prodromo's Alad. Confederate Princes and my kind allyes shall his proud nostrils breath those threats on us Emb. Moreover my Lord will or win or raze Iconium and Larenda Alad. Iconium and Larenda I No more had best look first how safe his Prusa stands Lords I am mov'd and will forget my Queen was ere the issue of his hated blood My splene is tost within mine entrailes pant as when the Sea is rais'd with Southern gusts the wind allay'd yet still the waves will tremble Princes now binde your selves with such strong chaines your faith and breaths can make swear to me all to be as firm to me ' gainst Amurath as is the skin and flesh unto the Nerves They all kneel and swear upon his sword Nobles We all sweare we will Alad. Then all here kisse my sword which shall be steept within the head-mans throat We 'l
the same bloud he tooke a share so let him beare his part in Government Sch. My Lord within the selfe-same Hemispheare It 's most prodigious when two Sunnes appeare One body by one soule must be inform'd Kingdomes like marriage beds must not indure any corrivall Rome was nere secure whilst she contain'd a Pompey and a Caesar Like as one Prophet we acknowledge now so of one King in state we must allow You know the Turkish Lawes Prince be not nice to purchase Kingdomes whatsoe'er the price He must be lopt send for him he must dye Bajazet O happy Bajazet that he was borne to be a King when thou wast Counseller Call in our Brother Jacup Some goe for him Here sixe men take up Amuraths Trunke on their shoulders Baj. Why Lords is Amurath so light a weight Is this the Trunk o th' Turkish Emperor Oh what a heape of thoughts are come to naught What a light weight is he unto sixe men who durst stand under Ossa and sustaine ' t Euren. My Lord these Meditations fit not you You are to take the honour he hath left and thinke you of his rising not his fall Enter Jacup Let your decree be suddaine here 's your Brother Baj. Brother I could have wished we might have met at times of better greeting Our father hath bequeath'd to the Grave these ashes to us his State Nor have we leysure yet to mourne for him Brother you know our state hath made a Law that he that sits in a Majestick Chayre must not endure the next succeeding heyre Jac. Yes we doe And Brother doe you thinke 't is crime enough to dye because I am sonne to an Emperour Scah. My Lord we know there breathes in him that ayre of true affestion that he doth much desire you should be equall in his Kingdome with him But still when two great evils are propos'd the lesse is to be chosen Euren. My Lord your life 's but one Kings are the threads whereto there are inweaved millions of lives and he that must rule all must still be one that is select from all Although we speake yet thinke them not our words But what the Land speakes in us Kings are free And must be impatient of equality Jac. And is' t eene so How have these Dogs fawn'd on me lickt my feet when Amurath yet lived Felt all my thoughts and soothed them to the sight of Empyrie And now the first would set their politique hands to strangle up that breath a blast of which their nostrils have suckt up like perfum'd ayre Well brother well by all men this is spoke that heart that cannot bow may yet be broke Bajazet Brother you must not now stand to upbraid They which doe feare the vulgars murmuring tongue Must also feare th' authority of a King For rulers must esteeme it happinesse that with their gov'rnment they can hate suppresse they with too faint a hand the Scepters sway Who regard love or what the people say To Kindred we must quite put off respect when 't is so neare it may our Crowne affect Jac. Then name of Brother doe I thus shake off for 't is in vaine their mercy to implore when impious Statists have decreed before Yet King although thou take my life away see how I le dye in better state then thou Who like my Father after his greatest glory May fall by some base hand The Minister 'To take my breath shall be thy selfe a King Here Jacup takes a Scarfe from his Arme and putting it about his neck gives one end to Bajazet Yet give me leave a while to Prophesie You that so Puppet-like delude your hopes and Wyer-draw the ancestry from Kings thinking that fates dare not aproach your bloud till they doe seize you then you leave this Earth Not as you went but by compulsion dragg'd Still begging for a morrow from your Grave and with such shifts you doe deceive your selves as if you could deceive mortality No Brother King not all the Glow-worme state which makes thee be a Horse-leach to thy bloud Not all the Parasitest ' Minions thou maintainst nor the restorative Dishes that are found out Not all thy shifts and trickes can cheat mortality or keepe thee from a death that 's worse then mine Should all this faile age would professe it selfe a slow but a sure Executioner O 't is a hard thing well to temperate decaying happinesse in great estate But this example by me may you gaine that at my death not of Heaven complaine Pull then and with my fall pull on thy selfe Mountaines of burdenous honor which shall curse thee Death leades the willing by the hand But spurs them headlong on that dare command Here himselfe pulls one end Bajazet the other Jacup dyes Bajazet Take up this Trunke and let us first appoint our Fathers and our Brothers Funerals the sense lesse body of that Caitiffe slave hurle to a Ditch Posterity shall heare Our lesse ill Chronicled but time shall heare these minutes rather then repeate their woe Now Primacy on thee I le mediate Which who enjoy thee are in blest estate Whose age in secure silence fleets away Without disturbance to his funeral day Nor ponderous nor unquiet honours can Vexe him but dyes a primare ancient man What greater powers threaten inferiour men a greater power threatens him agen And like to wasted Tapers Kings must spend their lives to light up others So all end Exeunt bearing out solemnely the bodies of Amurath and Jacup FINIS THE TRAGEDY OF ORESTES Written by THOMAS GOFF Master of Arts and student of Christ-Church in OXFORD AND Acted by the STUDENTS of the same house The second Edition LONDON Printed for G. BEDELL and T. COLLINS at the middle Temple Gate Fleet-street 1656. The Prologue THe hush'd contentment of two silent howres Breath pleasing ayres on these attentive eares And since wee see in this well furnish'd roome All our best neighbours are so kindely met Wee would devise some pleasing talke to spend The lazie houres of the tedious night But for our owne invention 't was too weake Whereon our young Muse durst not wholly leane We here present for the revive a tale Which once in Athens great Eurypedes In better phrase at such a meeting told The learn'd Athenians with much applause The same we will retell unto your eares Whose Atticke judgement is no lesse then theirs We here as builders which doe oft take stones From out old buildings then must hew and cut To make them square and fitting for a new So from an old foundation we have ta'n Stones ready squar'd for our aedifice Which if in pleasing our weake skill offends In making corners disproportionate Some roome too narrow or some loft to a high Yet we well hope if the whole structure fall Your hands like props will serve to beare up all Spoken by the Authour himselfe The Names of the Actors Agamemnon King of Greece Clytemnestra The Queene Tyndarus Clytemnestra's father Strophius Father to Pylades
Two deare friends Orestes soon to Agam. Pylades soon to Stroph. Electra Daughter to Agamemnon Aegystheus Adulterer with Clytemnestra Mysander A Favorite and Parasite Ajoung Childe of Aegystheus Nurse Two Lords Chamberlaine A Boy Attendants THE TRAGEDIE OF ORESTES Actus 1. Scena 1. Enter as from warre Agamemnon Clytemnestra Orestes Pylades Aegysteus cum caeteris Agam. NOw a faire blessing blesse my dearest earth and like a Bride adorne thy royall brow with fruits rich Garland a new married Bride Unto thy King and Husband who too long Hath left thee widdowed O me thinks I see Turnes to the spectators how all my Grecians with unsatiate lookes and greedy eyes doe bid mee welcome home Each eare that heares the clamour seemes to grieve it cannot speake and give a welcome King Come Clytemnestra let not anger make his wrinkled seat upon my loves faire brow I have too long beene absent from thy bed Chide me for that anon when arme in arme I shall relate those projects in love termes which when they first were acted made Mars feare to see each man turn'd to a God of warre Clyt. O my deare Lord absence of things wee love thus intermixt makes them the sweeter prove That your departure pierc'd my tender soule witnesse those Christall floods which in my eyes did make a sea when you should goe to sea those streames which then flow'd from the veines of greife at your returne doe overflow the banks But 't is with joy Agam. Now these eares indeed have chang'd their place they which were wont to heare no musique but the summoning of warre blowne thorow discords brazen instrument are blessed now with accents that doe fill my age-dry'd veynes with youthfull blood againe These eyes which had no other object once but Hector twixt the armes of Greece and Troy hewing downe men and making every field Flow with a sea of blood now see 's blood flow In my Orestes cheekes heaven blesse this plant Orestes kneeles sprung from the sap of this juicelesse oake Now be thy branches greene under whose shade I may be shadowed from the heat of warre Rise young Orestes Oh how it glads my soule to see my Queene and Sonne my Sonne and Queene Clyt. But come my Lord true love still hates delayes let no eares first be blessed with your breath till on my brest resting your wearied head You tell your warre where that the field 's your bed Aga. My Queen shal have her wil see how times change I that last night thought all the world a sea As if our common mother earth had now shot her selfe wholly into Neptunes armes and the strong hindges of the world had crackt letting the moone fall into th' swelling waves such watry mountaines oft did seeme to rise and quite o'rwhelme us all the winds at warre banded the sea on to the others coasts Jove thinking Neptune gan to strive for heaven sent a new sea from thence and with his thunder bad silence to the waves they uncontrold kept on their noyse and let their fury swell turning heaven earth sea clouds and all to hell Each Trojan that was saved then 'gan cry happy were they that did with Priam die It glads mee now to thinke that that night was no starre no not Orion there appear'd But this night 's turnd to day and here doth shine for a good Omen my embraced Queene With whom her Agamemnon still will stay till age and death shall beare him quite away Exeunt Agamemnon Clytemnestra cum caeteris Scena 2. Manet Egysteus Aegyst And that shal be ere long Tush shall be'sslow my vengefull thoughts tell mee thou now art dead Fie faint Apollo weakling infant-God why wouldst thou let lame Vulcan's hammers beat downe those brave Turrets which thou help'dst to build Venus I see thou art a woman now which here are like to take a double foyle for we that whilome revel'd in thy campe in the sweet pleasures of incestuous sheets must leave our lov'd unsatiate desires But now begin thou blacke Eumenides You hand-mayds of great Dis let such a flame of anger burne mee as doth Etnas forge on fury on our hate shall not die thus I 'll draw my poysonous arrow to the length that it may hit the mark and fly with strength Exit SCEN. 3. Enter Orestes Pylades Orest Come now my dearest friend my other self my empty soul is now fild to the top brimful with gladnesse and it must run o'r into my deare friends heart those silver haires which time hath crown'd my Fathers brow withal do shine within mine eyes and like the Sun extract all drossie vapors from my soul Like as the earth whom frost hast long benumb'd and brought an Icie drinesse on her face her veines so open at a sudden thaw that all plants fruits flowers and tender grafts kept as close prisoners in their mothers womb start out their heads and on a sudden doth the sad earth count'nance with a summer look So in this brest here in this brest deare friend whiles Annus ten times circled in the world ten clumzie winters and ten lagging springs hath with my fathers absence frozen beene all thoughts of joy which now shall make a spring in my refreshed soul Things that we daily see th' affections cloy hopes long desired bring the greatest joy Pyl. Nay but dear Cousin give not the reines too much to new received joyes lest that they run with so much speed that they out-breath themselves your Father is come home but being come should now some woful afterclap of fate which Omen Jove forbid should come to passe but take him hence again and crosse your joy each spark of gladness which you now conceive would turn a flame for grief still one extreame altering his course turns to the diverse theame Orest Tush Pylades talk not of what may be we may indeed i' th' clearest afternoone expect a storm Pyl. Yes and such stormes oft come and wet shrewd too before we get at home Orest O but I 'll be above all fatal power I that have such a Father new come home I that have such a friend such too rare gifts who gave me these gifts thought no scowling frown of angry fortune e'r should throw me down Pyl. Call them not gifts Orestes th' are but lent meere lendings friend and lendings we must pay when e'r the owner shall appoint his day Orest True Pylades but owners use to warn their debtors when they must bring in their summs but heavens tell me with favouring aspects I still must keep their lendings and possess with frolick joy all their lent happiness Pyl. Trust not the heavens too much although they smile good looks do mortal hearts too oft beguile the heavens are usurers and as oft 't is seen a full poucht churle give a most faire good e'en to his poor Creditor who trusting that hath slackt this payment on the morrow next he hath been rooted out by th' tuskey boare which gave the faire good e'en
thus be torn Some of th' immortal powers have had fathers and know what 't is to have them murdered thus But I turn woman now O I rave out my passions do grief pour out thy self that thou mayst make room in my empty heart to fill it with revenge Scena 6. Enter Clytemnestra Aegystheus in night-robes Clyt. How now what ayles our son how now Orestes Orest O some are come now to help me to grieve See mother see your husband and my father the King of Greece great Shephard of his Land see see him here She faines her selfe to swoun Egy. catcheth her falling Clyt. O help me now good heaven to keep my sex let me dissemble Aegyst Help my Lords the Queen Clyt. Why hinder'd you my soul that whilst he liv'd was linkt to his and would too now have fled with wing'd desire to have been with him What doe I live for Agamemon slain My Lord my King husband wake my Lord what bloody Trojan followed thee from thence to kill thee here could he not one night have let me rested in thy sweet embraces Must he for surenesse make so many holes for thy sweet soul to fly to be a God O let my teares be balm to these thy wounds let my lips kisse and warm thy gellid lips let my haire wipe these clots of blood away from thy age-honor'd side O dry your teares joyn knees and prayers with me awake ye Gods They both kneele and send our vows since we can send no wounds Come son we women still know how to curse Let him that did it be an Adulterer Aegyst Faith she begins well sure she knows the man aside Clyt. Let him be conscious he hath don a deed deserves revenge whether it fall or no Let him for ever beare in mind this night and who 't was helpt him in this bloody act Aegist Yes hee 'll remember how you curse him now aside Orst If ever he have children let them be murdered before his face that they may know how nature binds a father and a son Aegyst Now hands I thank you now my soul grows glad had not he griev'd thus I had lost revenge Clyt. But come my son now let us talk of graves of Epitaphs and tombs and 's soul being fled Draw the curtaine and carry him away let 's lap his Trunk up in a sheet of lead Exeunt Clytemnestra and Aegystheus Manent Orest Orest Methinks I see a Tragedy at hand to which this night hath as a Prologue bin I 'll make a prayer now worthy Atreus grandchild let the foul Adder sting me as I walk the poysonous toad belch her black venom forth in my despised face let it be thought I never had a father but some monster bred by a slimy exhalation If my revenge fly not with ample wing till then rest soul hate told may lose his sting Actus 2. Scena 1. Enter Cassandra sola as a mad Prophetesse Cass O ye dead Trojans leape within your graves O mother that thou hadst lived this night Now thou 'ldst be glad t' have lost so many sons the Grecians are reveng'd upon themselves I thank thee soul that thou keeptst here till now to let me see Greece overcome it self I live I live I 'm here I live to see 't I do not dream on 't no I saw the blood run from his side whole Cataracts all Greece Apollo how am I bound now for this that I do only see this happinesse Hecuba Priam young Astianax Look Hecuba Greece now doth act your woes laugh Hecuba for now Electra weeps and Tyndarus he knows not what to do Come little Cuz come my Astianax Orestes is in a worse case then thou Still I had others for to weep with me but none are left to laugh now but my self What should he feare at home A conqueror feare T is done 't is done leave fighting Hector leave the Grecians meane to fight against themselves from Tyndarus the first brand took fire which burnt down Troy and now an other here kindles from him to set a fire Greece Graia juvenca venit quae se patremque virumque Perdidit Io laetor Graja juvenca venit Hellen thy sister Hellen nay shee 's thine who could have thought that Hector being slaine old Priam made a sacrifice to death Troy turn'd to cinders poor Andromacha dragg'd by her hair to death Astianax sent out o' th world before he well came in Ha ha who could have thought after all this Cassandra should have ever laught againe One hour of laughter following many yeares of discontent doth help to sweeten teares Exit Actus 2. Scena 2. Enter Aegystheus Clytemnestra Aegy. Fair morning to my Queen nay more my love how likes my sweet her change of bed-fellow Clyt. Look as an hallow leafelesse failing oake to whom for that h' hath bin her weight too long the earth denies to lend him moysture so his sap failes and he stands on a green ' mongst sprouting Elms that they may seeme more fresh whilst hee 's but held a monument of years Such one seem'd Agamemnon a dry tree thou like a sprouting Elme whom I embrace like twining Ivy with these now blest armes blest whilst this treasure in them they hold lockt Aegyst O who 'd not do a murder for a woman Heaven had but two things for the Gods reserv'd fire and women when with Giant strength Promotheus had tane one Jove in his rage threw him the to'ther bad him keep 'em both O th' are rare creatures they have such Meanders Their teares will come and go with such brave art Come now my Queen one sweet Ambrosian kisse O Nectar prethee hadst thou taught thy teares how they should flow before Clyt. No trust me love I knew my teares would soon be at command and faith the boy had almost made me weep really once Were not my curses rare Aegyst Yes all was woman-like but yet that boy he took it deeply would he were with his father so gon it skills not how were he away we would act freely all our lustful play Clyt. O but my love hee 's mine Nor can the raven dig her sharp beake into her own birds brest He will forget his father woe will breake 't is not the greatest griefe that most doth speake Aegyst O but hee 'll beare still a suspicious eye and who in bloody Scenes doth act a part thinks every eye doth penetrate his heart Nor can we ere be free or I enjoy true pleasures we must be but theeves at most close in delights and have a Pander still to be a Factor 'twixt thy bed and mine this we could have before what now we do the world should see done and applaud us too Clyt. Why my deare Love I that would set my hand to stain my marriage sheets with husbands blood would let these hands instructed now in ill not leave one arm of that uprooted tree Could but Aegistheus give me any hope that from this
top there should one spreading branch grow up and flourish Aegyst Now thou art thy self yes yes my love there shall one spring from us shall be a lofty Pine let this be cropt murder must murder guard guilt add to guilt after one drop whole streams of blood be spilt walks away Scen. 3. Enter Pylades Orestes Electra Strophius Pyl. Dear friend what mean you to o'rwhelm your self in such a sea of grief Orest Father deare Agamemnon Pyl. Nay cease this tempest thou hast lost a father why 't is but change my father shall be thine I 'll be thy brother nay I 'll be thy selfe weep when thou weep'st and where thou go'st I 'll goe and bring thee on thy pilgrimage of woe Elect. Brother look up have not I lost a father yes yes and would a river of fresh teares turne Lethes stream and bring him from the wharf with a North gale of windy blowing sighs I would expire my soul become all teares Stro. Come you have lost a father I a brother the Queen a Husband all the Land a King yet all this but a man therefore must dye Our woes may all be in one balance poys'd His book of life the Fates had over-read and turn'd the leafe where his last period stood Now an immortal wreath circles his brow and makes him King in heaven who was before at most a God on earth Hence difference springs Kings are earths Gods and Gods are heavenly Kings Orest Let us joyne words then now and Swan-like sing the doleful dirge to a departed King Thou friend didst of this misery divine therefore the burthen of the song is mine words Orators for woe which plead the cause when griefe 's the judge and sighs are all the laws each one a sob for Diapason beares our tunes shall drown the musick of the spheares O what Hirudo with unsatiate thirst could draw the blood from out those Princely veines from whence flow'd comfort to so many souls Spies his mother goes to her Mother when wept you last here take a scarf dry your eyes now by you need none what shine of comfort hath dry'd up your teares Clyt. Our son 's too sawcie with his mother Queen Why Sir shall you tell us a time to weep Orest Us good Who is' t makes the plurality 'T was wont to be my father does he live Clyt. Sir curb this lavish speech or I 'll forget you are my son and make you but a subject Aegyst Good Cousin add not disobedience unto your mothers griefs Orest My mother no she is not here no she hath hid her self in some odd nooke or angle unperceiv'd she might not see this impious stygian world Cly. Aegystus canst thou still suffer thy dull sword i' th sheath Take the rank head from this o'r-growing weed Stro. Remember Clytemnestra he 's your son Clyt. He is so and I 'll learn him to be so Had I a brazen bull it should be heat hotter then for the Tyrant Disobedient More harsh then Adders hisses is thy voyce Sir you shall dye but with a living death he still shall live but live to know he dies who strait threats death knows not to Tyranize Exeunt Aegystheus Clytemnestra Stro. What temper 's grown on the distracted Queen Hath grief conceiv'd for her late husbands death brought her so far she hath forgot her self Orest No Uncle no by I do suspect O my prophetick soul divines much ill Well I will flie But hear this stratagem it shall be rumor'd i' th eare of the Court I was found dead I 'll put a new shape on and live alone to heare how things go here Pyl. Nay not alone Orestes whilst I live shouldst make thy bed upon the rigid Alps or frozen Caucasus wrapt in sheets of snow I 'd freeze unto thy side we will tell tales of Trojan warriers and deposed Kings Tell of strange shipwrack of old Priams fall how mad Andromacha did teare her hayre when the wild horses tore brave Hectors limbs Wee 'l think they all do come and weep with us grief loves companions and it helpeth woe when it heares every one groane forth his Oh! it easeth much and our plaints fall more sweet when a whole consort in one tune do meet The half-dead ship-man which hath shipwrack borne seeing many drown'd it makes him lesse to mourn It made Deucalion care the lesse to die when he had all the world in company Thus we will sit and our teares turnes shall keep thou for thy father I for thee will weep If actors on the Stage having no cause but for to win an hearers hands applause can let fall teares wee 'l think we Actors be and only do but play griefs Tragedie Orest O but deare friend should we but act a part the play being ended passion left the heart and we should share of joy but my whole age must never move from off this woful Stage But we must take our leave Uncle farwel remember what I spake and Sister you must tarry here my thoughts shall busied be to finde the man that let my father blood Can I but finde Aegystheus did consent to spill one drop O I would pierce his heart with venom'd daggers and so butcher him that all Apollos skill in physicke hearbs nor Aesculapius th' Epidaurian God should keepe his soule out of Enio's hand Come my deare friend to all the rest farewell If heaven relate it not I 'll know 't from hell Exeunt Pylades Orestes Scena 4. Enter Aegysteus Clytemnestra Mysander Strophius Electra another way Aegyst What is Orestes fled sure there 's some plot if you deare Queen but search Electra well you 'll finde she knowes whither her brothers gone Clyt. If in her heart there be but lodg'd a thought unknown to mee this hand shall rip her brest and search her inparts but I 'll finde it out Mysander call Electra Aegist O were that moat tane from our comforts beams no cloud e'r then could overshade our joyes his life must be cut off without delay mischiefe by mischiefe findes the safest way But here 's Electra Cly. Why how now Minion what a blubbering still Huswife pray where 's your brother wher 's my sonne Elect. Mother pray where 's my father wher 's your husband Enter Stropheus and speaks Haile to my my gracious Queene here 's one at doore brings you a message hee will not relate to any but your selfe he saies t is sad Clyt. Why the more dismal the more welcome ' t is But as for you Elect. Good mother do your worst no plague can ever make me more accurst nothing is worse then death that I 'll not flie Clyt. Yes life is worse to those that faine would die But where 's the messenger Scena 5. Enter Nuncius What whirlwinde rising from the womb of earth doth raise huge Pelion unto Ossa's top that both being heapt I stand upon them both and with an hundred Stentor-drowning voice relate unto the world the saddest tale that ever burdned
the weak jaws of man Aegyst Why what portentous newes Amaze us not tell us what e'r it be Nun. Were my mind settled would the gellid feare that freeseth up my sense set free my speech I would unfold a tale which makes my heart throb in my intrals when I seem to see 't Clyt Relate it quickly hold 's not in suspence Nun. Upon the mount of yonder rising cliffe which th' earth hath made a bulwark for the sea whose pearelesse head is from the streams so high that whosoe'r looks down his brain will swim with a vertigo The space remov d so far the object from the eye that a tall ship seem'd a swift flying bird upon this top saw I two men making complaints to heaven one's voyce distinctly still cry'd Father King great Agamemnon whose diviner soul fled from thy corps exil'd by butchers hands his friend still sought to keepe his dying life with words of comfort that it should not rush too violently upon the hands of Fate He deafe as sea to which he made his plaints still cryed out Agamemnon I will come and find thy blessed soul where e'r it walk in what faire Temple of Elysium so e'r it be my soul shall find it out With that his friend knit him within his arms striving to hold him but when t was no boot they hand in hand thus plung'd into the maine strait they arose and striv'd me thought for life but swelling Neptune not regarding friends wrapt their embraced limbs in following waves Until at last their deare departing souls hastned to Styx and I no more could see Stro. O 't was Orestes 't was my Pylades which arm in arm did follow him to death Elect. O my Orestes O my dearest brother 'T is he 't is he that thus hath drown'd himself Aegyst Why then if Agamemnon and his son have brought their lease of life to the full end I am Thyestes son and the next heire to sit in Argos Throne of Majesty Thanks to our Alpheus sea who as 't'ad striv'd to gratifie Aegystheus rais'd his force and gathered all his waters to one place they might be deep enough to drown Orestes But come my Queen let us command a feast To get a kingdome who 'ld not think it good to swim unto it through a sea of blood Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Tyndarus Misander Tynd. Our daughter sends for us how fares she well she mournes I 'm sure for her husbands death Mis My Lord she took it sadly at the first But time hath lessen'd it Tind I grief soon ends that flows in teares they still are womens friends But how is' t rumord now in Argos though that Agamemnon died Mis Why he was old and death thought best to seize on him at home Tynd. 'T was a long home he got by coming home Well well Misander I like not the course the peoples murmure makes my cheeks to blush Mis My gracious Lord who trusts their idle murmur must never let the blush go from his cheek They are like flags growing on muddy banks whose weak thin heads blown with one blast of winde they all will shake and bend themselves one way Great minds must not esteem what small tongues say All things in state must ever have this end the vulgar should both suffer and commend if not for love for feare great Majesty should do those things which vulgars dare not fee. Tynd. O Sir but those that do commend for feare do in their hearts a secret hatred beare Ever learn this the truest praise indeed must from the heart and not from words proceed I feare some soul play doth Aegystheus meane then totally for to invest himself in Agamemnons seate Where 's young Orestes Mis Why my Lord he for the great grief conceiv'd being young not knowing well to rule himselfe with sway of reason ranne upon his death and threw himselfe with my lord Strophius sonne into the midst of Alpheus so was drown'd Ty. How took my daughter that Mys Why wisely too and like her selfe not being in despaire her royal wombe will bring forth many more shall be as deare as e'r Orestes was Tynd. I feare heaven cannot look with equall eyes upon so many deaths but meanes to send plague after plague for in a wretched state one ill begets another dismal Fate But go and tell my daughter I will come and help to solemnize her nuptial night Her hasty wedding and the old Kings neglect makes my conjectural soul some ill suspect Exeunt Scen. 2. Enter Orestes and Pylades Orest If ever God lent any thing to earth whereby it seem'd to sympathize with heaven it is this sacred friendship Gordian knot which Kings nor Gods nor Fortune can undoe O what Horoscopus what constellation held in our birth so great an influence which one affection in two minds unites How hath my woe been thine my fatal ill hath still been parted and one share been thine Pyl. Why dearest friend suppose my case were thine and I had lost a father wouldst not thou in the like sort participate my grief Ores Yes witnesse heaven I would Pyl. So now thou hast lost a father Orest True Pylades thou putst me well in mind I have lost a father a dear dear father a King a brave old King a noble souldier and yet he was murdered O my forgetful soul Why should not I now draw my vengeful sword and strait-way sheath it in the murderers heart Minos should never have vacation whilst any of our progeny remain'd Well I will go and so massacre him I 'll teach him how to murder an old man a King my father and so dastardly to kill him in his bed Pyl. Alas Orestes Grief doth distract thee who is' t thou wilt kill Orest Why he or she or they that kill'd my father Pyl. I who are they Orest Nay I know not yet but I will know Pyl. Stay thy vengeful thoughts and since thus long we have estrang'd our selves from friends and parents let 's think why it is and why we had it noised in the Court we both were dead the cause was thy revenge that if by any secret private meanes we might but learn who 't was that drench'd their swords in thy deare fathers blood we then would rouze black Nemesis in flames from out her cave and she should be the umpire in this cause Mans soul is like a boistrous working sea swelling in billows for disdain of wrongs and tumbling up and down from day to day grows greater still in indignation turns male-content in pleaselesse melancholy spending her humours in dull passion still locking her senses in unclosed gins till by revenge she 's set at liberty Orest O now my thirsty soul expects full draughts of Ate's boyling cup O how twoul'd ease my heart to see a channel of his blood streaming from hence to hell that kill'd my father Pyl. I but deare friend thou must not let rage loose and like a furious Lion from whose den the
spectator been Unto our baleful hideous rights Ne're acted but in darkest nights Now in this fatal hears-bred hour Shew to my rites the greatest power Erictho when my torch shall twinkle A vernal water thou shalt sprinkle About the room now let us kneele Our heavy burthen hell shall feele Le ts all coyn words now we may see Who 't was did work this prodigie Omnes Pluto great Pluto we command Thou send unto us out of hand The shapes of them that kill'd the King Great Agamemnon Infernal Musick Enter in a dumb shew Aegistheus and Clytemnestra with their bloody daggers look upon the bed go to it and stab and then make a shew of gladnes and depart Or. O'tis above my bearing were I linkt here with chains I would like Cerberus draw Alcides back Stay stay by revenge shall take you here nay I will follow you should they take their cave where Etna vomits fire I would in my mother Clytemnestra Aegystheus was it they Nay I will o'rtake them Can. O son remember what I told you son many a rockie hill and stoney mount many a sea and vast Charybdis gulf stands betwixt them and thee though they seem near Orest O piety O most prodigious nature What creatures hast thou made to live on earth How hast thou cloath'd black darknesse with a scarf of unstain'd purity and put a godly face upon portentous devils Oh how my mother wept How Clytemnestra how that Hyena wept No more my mother I abjure the name she did not bring me forth I know she did not But I 'll o'rtake 'em shew me Canidia where which way they went where have they hid themselves Should they mount up to the chariot of the Sun and in his Car fly to the Antipodes or in the farthest nook of yonder sphear get up and place themselves 'twixt Taurus horns the fire-breathing bull or Lerna's Hydra were there no entrance but ten Lions jaws I 'd run through all and make my way my self I 'd fix them to the Axel-tree of heaven where their infectious carcasses should hang a bait for flying spirits in the Ayre Canidia I thank thee for thy pains still may thy sacred Art reveale such deeds still keep the gates of Orcus yawning ope make the dark powers ready at command Pyl. But let us hast deare friend this vast worlds roome allows us none but thy dead fathers Tombe here 's nought but ayres of death no bed but stones 〈◊〉 pillow 's a dead scull companions bones â—â—â—s's all our comfort if we needs must die 〈◊〉 have a Grave prepar'd wherein to lie Orest Now pale Tisiphone O for thy Snakes 〈◊〉 that renowned spirit that more than man â—hom all the Trojan host could not o'rwhelm murdred But what brave warrier wore a crown by guilding a dire sword in his dear blood Hector nor Priam no nor Mars himself onely his Wife was his Bellona now O miserable valour to scape foes and come for to be murdred of his friends O shameful conquest O most coward Fate that a weak Woman was competitor in Agamemnons death had it been any yet it should have been a Goddess at the least and yet she 's but a Queen a mortal Woman Were she a Goddess I would make her mortal Dull coward that I am and worse than all after so many wrongs yet unreveng'd their Palace now should fire o'r their heads and the huge beams dash out their guilty brains The roof should fall on me so 't fell on them Begin revenge and now perform an act may give a theam to all posterity ever to talk of fraught so full of horrour Aegystheus and my Mother may wish their's yet none was ever greater yes my deed Revenge is lost unless we do exceed Pyl. But a bad mother friend thou shouldst not hurt the Law of Nature doth forbid such thoughts Orest Nor Gods nor Nature shall keep me in awe why towards my mother by heavens Parliament who is most guilty is most innocent Can. Shall I thus by some Magick Art my son take both their pictures in pure virgin wax And wound the place where that the hurt should stand and so wound them Orest Tush this is too little Can. Shall I breed them hate Orest Too little too Can Shall I consume their children Orest All this too little Hell and the Furies shall stand all amaz'd Alecto shall come there for to behold new kinds of murthers which she knew not yet and Nature learn to violate her self I 'll instantly to th' Court and what I do my self will see done yes and act it too Thanks great Canidia this black night being done Revenge now knows her game whereat to run Exeunt omnes Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter in state Aegystheus Clytemnestra Tyndarus Strophius Electra Nutrix cum novo partu Aegyst NEver but when a royal off-spring comes from a Kings loyns can he be truly King Then doth he sit firm rooted in his state then is he truly man and then the gods he knows do love him which when Kings do want the curse of Nature doth deny them fruit and brands their bed with loath'd sterility Tynd. Aegystheus since the gods have bless'd you so have care their blessings turn not to your wo. Your joy my daughters joy and my joy too have care it be preserv'd and brought up well And take heed son of Agamemnon's blood Pierce not with envie the Babes tender heart Aegyst Tush Father now not without grief I speak all brooks which from the Princely Ocean ran are quite dry'd up only Electra here our dear Electra whose great weight of love is in our balance equally so poys'd that she shall ever think her Father lives our heart shall be so parallel with hers El. Yes great Aegystheus wer 't but our mothers will what she thinks good of I must not think ill Besides your love e'r since my fathers death as if it came from his departing soul and forth-with had reviv'd again in you hath held a prospective for me to see his care redoubled though the objects chang'd And for I lost a brother if you please that I may challenge in your royal blood here do I tie with all affections bands my self unto this Babe which is as dear unto my soul as were Orestâ—s here Clyt. Daughter your heart now with obedience strung makes a sweet musick sounding from your tongue Nurse Bring the Babe Give it Electra so you daughter shall have oversight of it Nutr. O shall I part from 't then Cly. No good Nurse no Electra with her care you with your pains Nutr. Now by Lucina had it gone away I should have sit and sob'd away my heart 'T is the sweetest Babe that ever Nurse did kiss Aegyst Look here good father look my nobles here upon this Babe scarce crept yet out of earth for you shall grow an Autumn of ripe years when time hath brought it to maturity Look on thy grandchild Tyndarus see 't is thine this came from
thee old-man see how it smiles upon the Grandsire as if wise Nature had taught him his kindreds Names 'fore he came forth Tynd. I see 't Aegyst my ag'd blood grows warm as if my self were a new father made and all the blessings I can render it shall drop like golden showers on the head Me thinks it doth recal my sliding age and makes swift time retire back again It doth unfold those wrincles in my face which grief and years had fixed as their signes upon my brow and now it shall be seen although my hairs are gray my joyes are green Clyt. Long may our Father his opinion hold and you our daughter let not sinister thoughts wrong your suspicious minde though this being young it makes our Lord and me to speak our joyes yet our affection and our natural love is not a whit to you diminished A Mother can be Mother unto many and as from one Root hid within the ground springs many flowers that lends sap to all So from a Parents heart run veins of love which though to many they without do flow yet from one heart one Root they all do grow Elect. I hope our gracious Mother cannot think we do suspect her love witness this charge which you have bless'd my arms and soul withal and as your love committed it with care my care shall still defend it with my love Aegyst We thank our daughter come Lord Strophius come grief still sits heavie on your sighing heart Be frolike learn of us in all the grace and pleasure our Court extends you shall have place Stroph. I thank my gracious Lord time hath by this almost eate out the memory of our son and since the heavens let fall their dew on you and watred Argos with such springing hopes I will not seem a stock uncapable of such a general comfort but revive my buried thoughts and for my Sovereign's sake old Strophius will a young mans person take Aegyst We thank old Strophius and if honour can keep thee still young our Princely hand is wide and freely shall extend all Graces on thee and you all our Subjects which bear part thus in our joy And here I do proclaim and personally from my own Mouth pronounce sealing it with the Signet of my State A general immunity to all Murders Rapes Treasons Thefts Conveyances which have been from the birth of our dear Childe in all the Confines of our Empire done nor shall your licence date be quite expired till the slow year seven times runs out his course Our self thus speak it until then all 's free Kings win their Subjects by immunity Exeunt omnes Manent Strophius Electra Stroph. Electra you are happy in your charge Electr. Yes Uncle and you happy in your favour Nur. Madam Shall I stay here until you come Comes back Electr. Yes Nurse sit down and sing look to the Babe I 'll only with my Uncle change a word Nurse sings Lullaby lullaby Baby Great Argos joy The King of Greece thou art born to be In despight of Troy Rest ever wait upon thy head Sleep close thine eyes The blessed gaurd tend on thy bed Of Deities O how this brow will beseem a Crown How these locks will shine Like the rayes of the Sun on the ground These locks of thine The Nurse of heaven still send thee milk Maist thou â—uck a Queen Thy drink Joves Nectar and cloaths of silke A God mayst thou seem Cupid sit on this Rosean cheek On these rubie lips May thy minde like a Lamb be meek In the vales which trips Lullaby Lullaby Baby c. Elect. You never heard from my brother Uncle nor from your son they have been long away Stroph. In troth Electra I am in despair almost of ever seeing them again Sure if Orestes live and ever hear unto what pass Aegystheus brings his state seated him in the throne and 's mothers bed and like to leave Argos hereditary to his Posterity it cannot e'r be born Orestes spirit will endure no scorn Elect. Uncle his long delayes make me surmise or he will never come or come with prize He if now come he must not shew himself but live unknown unnam'd or change his name Str. His name Electra yes and 's nature too which I do fear me he will hardly do But if we hear not from them now e're long I 'll listen by some means about the land to hear of them mean time you to your charge officious duty must our lives enlarge Elect. Come Nurse Exeunt Scen. 2. Enter Orestes and Pylades Orest O here 's the Palace under whose kind roof My tender years were gently softered But now the sight on 't seems to strike my soul when I but think it holds within the walls the patrons of such lust incarnate devils meer Pythonists that facinate the world Pyl. Nay but Orestes think now of your self complain not of your wrongs but seek to right them We might have liv'd i' th woods still to complain and to that purpose we may turn again Whet up your former thoughts and spend not time to rave but to revenge this odious act We know they were their shapes and no Chymera's Orest O Pylades know I thou art my friend Pyl. I hope you think it Orest I do I dare swear it so I dare swear it was Aegystheus and the dumbe Witch the O what thing 's enough to be an attribute to term her by The Clytemnestra O we saw her do 't Pyl. 'T was a black deed indeed and past all thought Orest O Hell it self has not the pattern to 't Some stench some fogs and vapours stop their breath exhald from out the dampish wombe of Styx Did ever foul disastrous fiendlike hands cast up so huge a heap of hell-bred mischief Were I to dive to 'th depth of Phelgeton or fetch young Gaenimed from the arms of Jove to rend Proserpina from Pluto's bed or take the vulture from off Titius heart and set it on my Mothers I would do 't I 'll break ope doors and nail 'em to their bed heark revenge calls me I come I come Pyl. Nay still outrageous friend good now contain your heady fury in wisdoms reyn hearken to my advice Orest I will dear friend thou hast plaid musick to my doleful soul and when my heart was tympaniz'd with grief thou lav'dst out some into thy heart from mine and kepst it so from bursting thou hast tide with thy kind counsel all these loosned strings they should not crack asunder with their weight Pyl. Then listen now the best plot I can think is this We here will live a while unknown Orestes thy Profession shall be Physick I as your friend t' company you at Court carry it neatly learn a few strange words palliate your woe a while and coope up grief you may in time so minister to the King Physicks occasion fit revenge may bring Orest Rarely invented I 'll speak Aphorisms sublim'd Purgations Quintessence distill'd each Dose
suit Orest Nay but Egystheus you can aggravate to doe a haynous murther and i' th Court I' th place of Justice where the King might hear upon a chief attendant of the Kings Murther it self is past all expiation a crime that nature most of all abhors and look how manhood and civility stand at the bar of Justice and there plead how much they 'r wrong'd and how much defac'd when man doth dye his hands in blood of man Now hearken King I 'll use thy Rhetorick thou didst a haynous murther in the Court not which the King did hear but which he felt when no petition could good man prevaile therefore this dies this first shall have his due Stabs it againe that the blood spirts in his face this mischief done revenge shall prompt anew Aeg. O the gods blush and heaven looks pale at this a fathers face besmear'd with his childs blood Orest My hast deceives my will tush all this yet may be call'd piety you shall tast too mother Turns it to her Clyt. O why dos't banish nature from his place Look on thy mothers tears worse then those groans and pangs she had when she first brought thee forth When of thy friends or parents thou hast wrong patience not fury doth to thee belong Is this the blessing that thy knee should ask Repay'st thou thus my kisses and my tears which flow'd from me to thee in tender years Orest O why did you so banish woman-hood when you and this damn'd villain base adulterer made in my fathers side so many wounds and brought a brave old King into this state See here 's his bones my pocket can contain Pulls bones from his pocket great Agamemnon and repayd you thus his kind embraces all his loving signs Aegystheus you are thirsty you shall drink Fills two cups with the childs blood gives it them yes you shall clear your throat by you shall Aegy. O mischief above mischief what Heniochus bred on a stony rock could e'r endure to see a fathers thirst quench'd with such blood Hast thou no measure hath revenge no end Ore Who first doth mischief may keep mean i' th deed but who revengeth must all mean exceed Nay mother wee 'l not bar you of your draught Gives one cup to her Clyt. O Nature see here all thy law infring'd a mothers prayers prevail not with her son Orest Pray with Thyestes it shall never move me But first Aegystheus Do thou haste revenge Stabs him Aegyst O I am wounded O when dost thou end Orest Nay I have scarce begun Now mother you Sabs her So now I 'll stand and look and on hell call nay my revenge must not be usual One more for thee Aegystheus only let out the blood you drank before Aegyst O my heart feels it Orest Now mother you and your love the same Clyt. O kill me quickly time prolongs my wo and since I must die let me quickly goe Orest You know your sentence Let him feel he dies who strait threats death knows not to tyrannize Aegy. This brings ten deaths Or. Would t would an 100 bring one death 's too little to revenge a King Hence hence adulterous soul to Tantalus and let hell know who 't was sent thee thither he dies Now mother you shall follow but he first lest that like Lovers you go hand in hand Clyt. Why son whose death is it thou dost revenge thy fathers but on whom upon thy mother On her which brought thee forth which took most care to bring thee up from whom thou tookst thy self thou' rt sure thou art mine but dost not know who 't was begate thee Orest Wil 't Bastardize me Yes mother yes I know I was his son Alas why what are you a senselesse peice of rotten earth can do as much to corn as you to me bear it and bring it forth but Agamemnon he that seed did sow and only unto him my self I ow and for him thou shalt die Clyt. O I confesse my conscience tells me I deserve no lesse and thus thy mother from thee doth depart leaving vexation to torment thy heart She dies Orest Now friend I see my father live again and in his royal state at Argos Court This is the night in which he first came home O blessed powers of hell divine Canidia Now am I satisfied now hath revenge perfection and nothing grieves me but that Tyndarus my mothers father did not see her die I le in and tell him my thoughts must reveale those acts I do this night who would conceale Now soul triumph whist that my deed shall shine I' th face o th Court and all the world know 't mine Actus 5. Scena 1. Enter Orestes in his gown Tyndarus Strophius Electra Pylades two Lords Ore My Lord your daughters potion works most rarely the King 's asleep God blesse his Majesty O do not wake him faith 't is pity la. Tynd. What do I see ha blood the little child dead my daughter bleed Aegystheus kill'd Orest Your Lordships eyes do fail 't is but spilt wine Tynd. Lay hands o' th villain 't is the Physicians deed Orest Nay friends hands off 't is no Physician now Discovers himself See see old Tyndarus dost thou know me yet Fetch me my Crown and robes nay I 'll ascend Is not Atrides eldest son your King Tynd. What hast thou done foul Viper to eat out thy mothers bowels what was this thy deed Thy silence sayes 't was thine What Tanais Tygris or Rhenus or what flowing sea should wash thee in the salt Meotis streame Or Tethis at full tide o'rflow thy banks still would the spots of murder stick on them Orest Why Grandsire I go not about to wash by 't was all the fruit I thought to win to think all mischief here could be no sin Tynd. See see thy mother look upon her now on her whose eyes thou hast for ever clos'd which eyes have often wakned at thy cry and hush'd thee with a lullaby to sleep See see these hands which oft with so much care wrapt gently up thy unset tender limbs See see this face wont at thy signes to smile when nature gave not leave unto thy tongue to utter thy childs meaning Orest See see these bones these nasty rotten bones which had so often lock'd his hands in hers here stood the tongue which oft had call'd her sweet dear Clytemnestra and then stopt his speech and told his love in a more speaking signe Here stood those eyes which fed upon her face and made her of thy daughter a great Queen and she made him a dish for loathed worms Tynd. Suppose she did there was but one yet dead and with ones death again should be repaid Orest No Tyndarus had I desir'd but one I should have thought I had desired none Why methinks I should too have kill'd thee the number is too little yet of three Tynd. Into what land what country wilt thou fly all earths all lands all countries will fly
't yet Th' Eumenides stand to whip me as I go Nay I will passe you I will out-slip them all Exit currens Pyl. See in his conscience lies hells punishment our own thoughts judges none are innocent Exit Scen. 6. Enter two Lords 1. Lor. We that have here been born to see this change may leave the Court and tell our children tales of the dier fall of Inachus great house the young Prince mad the Princess kill'd her self old Strophius dead for grief and murder heapt corps upon corps as if they ment t' invite all hell to supper on some jovial night 2. Lord. Nay but my Lord this is most pityful that the young Prince should thus from door to door beg for his food and yet none dare to give I saw him wandring yesterday alone flying from every Crow or pratling Pie crying out mother and as if there had tormenting furies followed him with fraud and truth I thought to tell old Tyndarus to move his ruthful years to pity him and will you joyn petitioner with me we 'll tell the case 't is good t' ease misery 1. Lord. My Lord I like your motion and will joyn for Agamemnons sake my honour'd Master Exit Scena 7. Enter Orestes Pylades with naked rapiers Orest My fury leaves me now I 'm at my last and now me thinks thou truly art a friend now with undaunted spirit prevent my grief and let thy rapier drink blood greedily as if it lov'd it ' cause it is thy friends now rid me of my woe thy friendly vow never did truly shew it self till now Pyl. Why then dear friend I thus erect this arm and will be strong to thee as thou to me we 'll look upon our deaths with better face then others do on life come Tyndarus see we scorn to live when all our friends are dead nor shall thy fury make base famine be the executioner to my dearest friend whilst I can kill him therefore spight of thee wee 'll free our selves past all calamity Orest Yes Pylades we will beguile our time and make him search through every nook o' th world if he in all his race can ever spie two that like us did live like us did die But we delay our death now bravely come and the last parting word shall be strike home They run at one another Pyl. O bravely strook dear friend yet once again Run again Orest Yes at one thrust two friends must not be slain O how I love these wounds heaven dropping showers when the outrageous dog makes clouds of dust upon the thirsty earth come not more sweet then the blest streams of blood thy rapier raines Hence weapon for my loyns now scorn all props but my friends arms O bear good legs a while the weight of murder sits upon my soul and bends my staggering joynts unto the earth Pyl. Haste haste I faint but O yet let my strength be Atlas to sustain the falling world Breathe breathe sweet vapors of two trusty hearts and let our breaths ascend to heaven before to make a room hard by the frozen pole where that our winged souls shall mount and sit more glorious then the Concubines of Jove wreath'd with a Crown of rich enamel'd stars leaving all ages to deplore our death that friendships abstract perisht with our breath Orest Fly thou best part of man where Hecate born on the swarthy shoulders of the Even sits in a grove of oakes till gray ey'd morn bids her to throw off nights black Canopie Pyl. Wil 't die before me Stay stay I come Orest O grasp me then our names like Gemini shall make new stars for to adorn the sky Is thy breath gone Pyl. O yes 't is almost past then both together thus wee 'l breath our last They fall down dead embracing each other Scena 8. Enter in hast Tyndarus Lords with others Tyn. Went they this way my Lords you move me much could I find him now I would seat him new in his right Kingdom which doth weigh down me 1. Lord. I see my Lord Orestes and his friend without your leave have made themselves an end Tynd. Then now is Argos Court like to some stage when the sad plot fills it with murdered Trunks and none are left alive but only one to ask the kind spectators plaudite all else have bid valete to the world the man reserv'd for that is Tyndarus who thus hath seen his childrens childrens end his Grandchild a bad son a most deare friend the Scene must now be overflow'd with grones each man sits downe to waile his private mones one for the Queen doth weep one for the King all taste the bitter waters of this Spring the Nurse bewails the child that part she beares all have their subiects to bedew with teares each one yet have but one but all of me challenge a part in griefes sad sympathy Orestes Clytemnestrae I must call these all for mine thus must I weep for all let none believe this deed or if they doe let them believe this punishment then too 'T is vile to hate a Father but such love as breeds a hate to 'th Mother worse doth prove Our life consists of ayre our state of wind all things we leave behind us which we find saving our faults witnesse Orestes here who was his own tormentor his own fear Who flying all yet could not fly himself but needs must shipwrack upon murders shelf and so his brest made hard with misery he grew himself to be his enemy Thus griefe and gladnesse still by turnes do come but pleasure least while doth possesse the roome Long nights of grief may last but lo one day of shining comfort slideth soon away He whom all fear on earth must fear a fate for all our powers are subordinate Three hours space thus well can represent vices contriv'd and murders punishment A Monarchs life can in this little space shew all the pomp that all the time doth grace His risings and his falls and in one span of time can shew the vanity of man For none of us can so command the powers that we may say to morrow shall be ours Now fortunes wheele is turn'd and time doth call to solemnize this friendly funerall No force so great no so disaster wrong as can unknit the band which holdeth strong united hearts who since they thus are dead one room one tomb shall hold them buried And as these friends joyn'd hands to beare their Fate so we desire you them to imitate Who since they all are dead we needs must crave your gentle hands to bring them to their grave FINIS These Books are printed for and sold by GA. BEDELL and THO. COLLINS 1656. viz. Books in folio THe Compleat Ambassador by Sir Dudly Diggs containing the Letters and Negotiations of Sir Francis Walsingham the Lord Burleigh and other Eminent Persons being a perfect Series of the most remarkable Passages of State both at home and abroad in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth
we must descend to our just duty or our latest end Ach. Renowned Vice-roy thy perswading thoughts Have predivin'd most truly these effects and we applaud thy Counsel let us three joyn our best strength that these ensuing jarres may be compos'd without the stroke of warrs Corcute is wise and milde and being so he hates the rumour of a publick foe Cher. Nobly resolv'd Greece sings if the event Prâ—ve but so happy as honest the intent Enter Bajazet Baja. Am I not Emperor he that breaths a no damnes in that negative syllable his soul durst any god gain-say it he should feel the strength of fiercest Gyants in mine armes mine angers at the highest and I could shake the firm foundation of the earthly Globe Could I but grasp the Poles in these two hands I l'd pluck the world assunder drop thou bright Sun from thy transparent Spheare thy course is done great Bajazet is wrong'd nor shall thine eye be witnesse to my hateful misery Madnesse and anger makes my tongue betray the Chaos of my thoughts under this brest an heape of indigested cares are prest What is it that I doubt through every joynt dances a trembling ague this dull blood that courses through my veins divines no good shouts of joy within Ha shouts of joy at dead mens obsequies I 'me in a maze of woes what thou wilt throw on me Jove let it come I le stand thy blow Che. Live happy Bajazet Baja. Happy in my fear that word sounds sweet in my distracted eare He turns aside to them Happy in what Ach. In thy friends that grieve to see thy wrongs Baja. My wrongs there sticks the string my thoughts did harp upon But who hath wrong'd me in this high content the fates do sometime frown yet blesse th' event and sequel of our woes it cannot be I should de thwarted in my jollity But if I can unfold it for the more I know them not the greater is my sore Chers In that read all thy woes take there a brief Contract of all thine ills sad lines of grief He gives him a paper Contract of all thine ills sad lines of griefe Baja. How 's this my youngest son advanced to my seate Corcutus Imperator sure I dreame These are but empty apparitions Fain'd by the god of sleepe to vex my soule Were they not so ere this black night Had throwne her fable mantle ore the heavens To hide me from my shame-but is it so I do but flatter up my selfe they are true And reall griefes my Passion sayes they are Isaack Achmetes are they not Ach. Too true Great Bajazet Baja. Corcutus Imperator reades again Would I had seene thy name writ in the booke Of darke damnation rather then these lines Crackt not mine eye-strings when I view'd this text See how each letter spreads abroad in pompe As if they scorn'd my teares how I could dwell On these two words Corcutus Imperator Hither repaire the watchfull paper-wormes That scan old records over to a line Here in two words imprinted shall you see The modell of a dolefull history Vertue dishonoured breach of filiall love Right shoulder'd out by wrong nor can you faine A crime which these two words do not contain But now I rayle not grieve O nimble ayre Let my plaints vanish as they spoken are Off with this womanish mildnesse I will find A shorter tricke then this to ease my mind Pluto beware I come to raigne in hell about to kill himselfe Fates bid me rule and birth-right to excell Chers Stay Bajazet that arme can breake a path Unto thy earthly monarch ere thou come To blesse the banks of sweet Elysium With thy wisht presence Mahomet forefend That thou should'st seale a Kingdome to thy son By this untimely death Corcutus raignes But at thy better pleasure when he shall heare Thou art ariv'd then hee 'le twixt joy and griefe Start from his throne and nimbly run to meet Thy pompe and throw his Scepter at thy feet If he but slack that duty here are by Achmetes strong and bold Isaack and I Devoted to your service Yet the world stands On wavering doubts ready to clap their hands Baja. My desires are crown'd And from the gate of Limbo where I sate I feele my spirits knock against the heavens Achmetes In that name I hear an ease Of all my griefs pronounc'd he shall suffice To banish usurpation from my throne Did furyes guard it round hee 's able well To reach my Kingdomes from the gripes of hell Ac. My sword life both which are vow'd to thee Are still at thy command walk but along Corcutus shall resigne thou have no wrong Exeunt Bajazet Chersogles and Achmetes Manent Isaack and Mustapha Actus 1. Scena 3. Is Death the furies plunge the obsequious slaves Would he have joyn'd with us we would have kept Corcutus high and honoured where he sits In spight of a whole boast of Bajazets Must Me thinks your power might have bin greater sarre Over Achmetes one adict to you By no lesse bond of duty then the son Is to the father Isa Mustapha I le tell you Had not my daughter been espoused to him I had nam'd his death and by some plot work't him a quick destruction long e'r this Now let us temporize with Bajazet yet keep thy nature ever and be true to thine own profit Fortune may advance some other Prince worth both thy love and mine Musta Wee l stay her leasure Isa See more Harpies gathered to catch a Crown O t is a charming bait Exit uterque Enter Mahomet Achmetes Selimus Mah. Me thinks these City walls smile on our entrance as if they knew great Bajazets three sons were come to grace their beautie Sel. But We should frown on them which harbour such black treasons Well were I great Bajazet I 'de ring a noyse of spightful horrour that should make the ground tremble beneath their weight at such a sound A younger son enthron'd an Emperour Ach. Brother contain your self come le ts away to see the end that waits on this sad day Exeu. As they goe Trizham and Mahomet two other Sons of Bajazet goe to meet them Sel. What Mahomet Ach. And Trizham here 's a sight of one mans issue Noble Bajazet brothers we have jumpt together Sel. All save one and hee s a great deal better so alone Tri. Corcutus 't is you mean who though he raign above us now yet must fall back again into our rank 't is Bajazet must rise and he descend such a report there flyes Exeunt Actus 1. Scena 4. Enter Corcutus Cherseogles Mesithes Corcu. Did not he frown and storm Chers It mov'd him much and wrought strange passions in him when he read your name and found your name so intituled Corcu. Cling to my temples thou blest ornament be ever unremov'd though all the gods chide me in thunder for this insolence Am I in heaven in state plac'd on the sphear of eminence but barely to appear with faint
and borrowed luster then descend rankt with the vulgar heads first let me feel the Titian vultur or Ixions wheel and the worst torture hell it selfe can bring to scourge my soul ô let me die a King But stay I must bethink me at what rate I purchase these fair trappings ha the curse of him that got mee start my danted spirits shall I usurp a throne and sit above my father whilst the gaping pit of hell with wide stretcht jawes yawnes for my fall O I am struck with horror and the slaves of Stix already sting my wounded soul Cher. Will you fair Prince reject all future hopes of just succession and afflict your Sire by your unjust detainment of his Crown Corcu. I am distracted and me thinks I burn under these robes of State a boyling heat runs from them through my veins Joves hardy son when he bewrapt himselfe in Nessus shirt felt not more bitter agonies then I cloath'd in the trappings of my majesty I am resolv'd Bassaes go meet our father allure him home with this I am begun to be no King but a repentant son Exeunt Mesithes and Cherseogles Pallas I aske thy pardon I have straied A gracelesse trewant from thy happy schooles Whither I le now returne there 's not a ranke Place or degree can sort us out true blisse Without thy temple there my dwelling is Amongst the sacred monuments of wit Which Classique authors carefully have writ For our instruction I will wast my time So to wash out the spots of this sad crime Court honours and you shadows of true joy That shine like starres till but a greater light Drowne your weake luster I adjure your sight Even from my meditations and my thoughts I banish your entising vanities And closely kept within my studie walls As from a cave of rest henceforth I le see And smile but never taste your misery I but as yet am floating on the waves Of stormy danger nor am sure to scape The violent blast of angry Bajazet Blow faire my hopes and when I touch the shore I le venture forth on this rough surge no more Enter Bajazet Cherseogles Achmetes Isaack Mesithes Mustapha Mahomet Achomates Selymus Trizham Mahomet Zemâ—s disguised See where he comes oh how my guilty blood Starts to my face and proves my cause not good Our dutie to our father kneeles Baja. Ours to the Emperor kneeles Cor. Why kneels great Bajazet I am thy son Thy slave and if thy wrath but frowne undone VVhy kneeles great Bajazet heavens hide thy face From these proposterous doings Ba. What not asham'd To circle in thybrow with that bright crown Yet blush to see me kneel though filiall rites And morall precepts say the son must bend Before the Father yet your high degree and power bids you rise commands my knee Corc. These ornaments be thine Here Bajazet I Crowne thee Monarch of the spacious West Asia and Affrica if ought be mine greater then these I here proclaim it thine Omnes Live Bajazet our mighty Prince live rule and flourish Baja. Is this your zeale is it Did every voice breath out a willing suffrage I am crowned my joyes are fully perfect and I feele my lightned spirits caper in my brest Rise thou starre-bright mirrour of thine age To Corcutus kneeling by thee our iron daies prove full as good as when old Saturne thundred in the clouds Be an example to succeeding times how sons should use their Parents and I vow when I shall faile this honour to thy brow Attend us Bassaes I le lead on to joy never was Father blest with such a boy Exeunt omnes manet Corcutus Corcu. Freed from a princely burthen I possess A Kingly liberty and am no lesse Princely observance waite on him on me thoughts undisturb'd I shall then happy be Exit Actus 1. Scena 5. Enter Zemes the brother of Bajazet alone Zemes. Scarce had I set my foot within these walls in expectation of a solemne hearse due to the wandring Ghost of Mahomet but lowd alarmus of abundant joy ring in mine eares and every servile groome Congratulates the coronation A showt within of Bajazet harke how they roare it out A cold disturbance like a gelid frost settles my blood withinme and I hate his cheerefull triumphs more then mine owne fate 'T is true indeed I prov'd not the first fruites an elder off-spring of my Fathers breed yet was it so that Bajazet and I both tumbled in one wombe perhaps the Queene of womens labours doted at our birth and sent him first abroad or else I slept and he before me stole into the world must I then lose my glory and be hurld A slave beneath his feet no I must be An Emperor as full as great as he Exit Actus 1. Scena 6. Enter Isaack alone Isa Divorc'd my Daughter fond and insolent man I le crush thee into nothing if I can endure the noise of my disgrace I know how to return it I am a flame of fire a chafing heat distempers all my blood Achmetes thou must cool it when thy limbs are emptied of that moysture they sucke in and thy stain'd blood inchanted from thy veins then shall I be appeased meane while I live thy mortall foe But stay let me contain mine anger undiscover'd Friend how is' t Enter Mesithes Mesi Know you not Isaack Isa What Mes The flight of Zemes hence to Armenia Isa Of Zemes Mes Yes he walkt about the City disguis'd and unseen till his escape Isa 'T is strange and full of fear Mes We meet him frequent in the vulgar mouth Isa Zemes is valiant and Armenia strong here 's Bajazet he must beware the wrong Enter Bajazet Ba. What is' t thou murmurest Bajazet wrongd something it is thou knowest concerning us Take thee faire leave and speak it Isa Yes I know matters of weight such as concern thy life Baja. Such as concern my life Speak out thy tale we are so flesht in joy bad news proves strange and touch my sense too harshly Isa But you must hear Your brother Zemes when swift winged Fame told him your father Mahomet was dead flew quickly hither first to celebrate his funeral pomp then to assume his State his Crown and Scepter which he rightly knew unto your hand and head both to be due But when applausive joy and peales of mirth sounded loud Musick in his troubled eares of you enthron'd then he began too late to brawl at heaven and wrangle with his Fate So he went hence and cryed revenge be mine quake thou great City of proud Constantine at my fierce anger when I next return with clouds of misty powder I shall choak thy breath and dul thy beauty with it's smoak Thus posted he hence to Armenias King there to implore his ayde which he will bring to front thy power nor doth he yet despair to dispossess and fright thee from thy chair Baja. First from my body shall he fright my soul and push me into dust Isaack
Emperors nor all the Gemmes that so inwreath the browes can so allure Fortune unto their gaze as she should still be constant O she 's blind nor doth she know her selfe where she is kind Those those are Kings and Queenes whose brest 's secure like brazen walles Lust's entrance not endure Where impotent ambition not intrudes nor the unstable talke of multitudes Fortune serves such they happiness command more than all Lybia's gold all Tagus sand as heaven hath given us no more conspicuous things than forme or beaury so like a forward spring Nothing more short Menthe. Madam divine not of a change Beliefe is too too prone in entertaining griefe Eum. Our Lord attends to enter in and surely sleepe envyeth his delight for he sits heavy on my drowsie lids draw all our Curtaines sleepe be guiles our eares Men. Madam good night time helpes suspicious fears Exit Menthe. This Song is to be sung in the Musick roome to soft Musicke now when she lookes she 's dreaming sent to Elisium Drop golden showers gentle sleepe And all the Angels of the Night Which doe us in protection keepe Make this Queene dreame of delight Morpheus be kind a little and be Deaths now true Image for 't will prove To this poore Queene that then thou art hee Her grave is made i' th Bed of love Thus with sweet sweets can Heaven mix gall And marriage turne to Funerall Scaena 3. Actus 2. Enter Amurath in his Night robes a Taper in his hand seemes much disturbed speakes Amur. Turke Amurath slave nay something baser King For all airy titles which the Gods have blasted man withall to make them swell with puft up honour and ambitious wind this name of King holds greatest antipathy with manly government for if we waigh 'T is subjects and not Kings beare all the sway Each whispered murmur from their idle breath condemnes a King to infamy to death Were there a Metempseucosis of soules and nature should a free Election grant what things they afterwards would reinforme the vaine and haughtiest minds the Sun ere saw Would chuse it's Cottage in some Shepherds flesh nay be confin'd within some Dog or Cat than Antique-like pranck in a Kings gay-clothes Were I no King and had no Majesty I had more then all Kings blest liberty And without rumor might enjoy my choyce not fearing Censure of each popular voyce Poore men may love and none their wils correct but all turne Satyres of a Kings affect O my base greatnesse What disasterous starre profest it selfe a Midwife at my birth to shape me into such prodigious States But hence regard of tongues Were we a Saint some envious tongue would dare our names to taint and he from slander is at securest rest not that hath none but that regards it least Open you envious Curtaines here 's a sight Drawes the Curtain that might commend the act of Love so Chast Were now the chariot-guider of the Sunne weary o's taske and would intreat a day of Heaven to rest in here 's a radiant Looke that might be fixt i th' midst o th' Axletree and in despight of darke conspiring Clouds she would out-shine Sunne Moone and all the Stars O I could court thee now my sweet a fresh mixing a kisse with every period Telling the Lillies how they are but wanne earth in the vernant spring is dull and darke compar'd with this aspect the Aeasterne ayre fann'd with the wings of Mercury and Jove infectious but compar'd with this perfume Hence then th' ambition of that furious * youth Alexis who knew not what a crime his rashnesse was I might orecome more Kingdomes have more dominion enthrone my selfe an Emperor o th' world I might I might Amurath thou mightst The Christians now will scoffe at Mahomet Perchance they sent this wretch thus to inchant me O my perplexed thoughts Tush I le to bed should the commanding Thunder of the Gods prohibite me or strike me in the act Talke on vaine rumor fame I dare thy worst Call me a Lusty Lazy wanton coward should I win all the world my breath once fled my bad would still survive all good be dead Eumorphe sweet I come you sacred powers who have bestowed some happenssse on man to helpe to passe away this sinful life Grant me a youthfull vigor yet a while full veines free strength compleat and manly sense to know and take a beauty most immense Scena 4. Actus 2. Amurath makes haste to the Bed on a suddaine enter Schahin disguised like the Ghost of Orchanes father to Amurath Scabin Amurath Amurath Amurath Divel Divel what Dar'st thou appeare before an Angell Fiend Scah. O Amurath why doth intemperate Lust raging within thy furious youthfull veines burst through thy fathers Tombe Disturbe his soule Know all the torments that the fabulous age dream't did afflict deceased impious Ghosts heartbiting-hunger and soule-searching thirst the ne're consumed yet ever eaten prey that the devouring Vulture feeds upon are not such tortures as our off-springs crimes They they sit heavy on us and no date Makes our compassionate affection cease O thou hereditary Ulcer hearke by the name of Father and by all those cares which brought me to my grave to make thee great Thou that hast nothing of me but my crowne My enterprize surpast the boundlesse Sea cutting the churlish Waves of Hellespont when the flood stood which wind for to obey Euxinum groan'd beneath my burdenous ships I was the first of all the Turkish Kings that Europe knew and the fond Christians plague What coward blood ran flowing in my veines when thou wert first begot who marrest all thy Fathers acts by thy untam'd desires Wherefore with Stygian curses I will lade thee First may she prove a Strumpet to thy Bed be her lips poyson and let her loose embraces be venemous as Scorpions If she conceive a Generation from thee let it be as ominous as thou hast beene to me Rebellious to thy Praecepts printing cares upon thy aged browes O may they prove as Faries for to lash thee in thy rest But Amurath if thou canst quench this flame if thou wilt cut this Gordian thred and rend hence that putrid Wenne which cleaves unto they flesh be all thine actions prosperous Mahomet shall be auspitious unto each designe Fortune to shew thee favour shall be proud Farewel If what men doe speake last before they die take root then dead mens should take more Exit Schahin Amur. What art thou vanisht Know thou carefull spright thou shalt no sooner pierce the wandring clouds with unperceived flight than my resolve shall expiate my former Vanity Looke on thy sonne thou airy intellect and see him sacrifice to thy command Now Titan turne thy breathing coursers backe start hence bright day a sable Cloud invade this universall Globe breake every prop and every hindge that doth sustaine the Heavens For straight must die a woman I have nam'd a crime that may accuse all Nature guilty The Sexe wisely considered deserves a
death For thinke this Amurath this woman may prostrate her delicate and Ivory limbes to some base Page or Scul or shrunk up Dwarf Or let some Groome lye feeding on her lips she may devise some mishapen trick to satiate her goatish Amurath and from her bended knees at Meditation be taken by some slave toth ' deepe of Hell Th' art a brave Creature wert thou not a woman Tutor Come thou shalt see my well-kept vow and know my hate which saw me dote but now Schahin Eurenoses Captaines ho Scaenae 5. Actus 2. Enter Schahin Eurenoses Chase-Illibegge Our Tutor Eurenoses Captaines welcome Gallants I call you to a spectacle My brest 's too narrow to hoard up my joy Nay gaze here Gentlemen give Nature thanks for framing such an excellent sence as Sight whereby such obiects are injoyn'd as this Which of you now imprison not your thoughts in envious and silent policy Scah. My Lord to whatsoever you shall propose my sentence shall be free Euren And mine Chase-il And mine Am. Which of you then dare challinge to himselfe such a pathetical Praerogative so stoically severed from affection That had he such a Creature as lieth here one at whom Nature her self stood amazed one whom those lofty extasies of poets should they decay here 't must nor barely dump their dull inventions with similitudes taken from Sun Moon Violets Roses and when their ruptures at a period stand a silent admiration must supply Onely name her and she is all discrib'd Hyperbole of women Coulour it selfe is not more pure and incontaminate sleep doates on her and graspes her eye-lids close the skie it selfe hath onely so much blew as the azure in her veines lends by refluxe Here 's breath that would those vapors purifie which from Avernus choakes the flying Birds here 's heat would tempt the numb'd Athenian though all his blood with age were conjeal'd yee Now which of you all is so temperate that did he find this Jewel in his bed unlesse an Eunuch could refraine to grapple and dally with her come speak freely all Sch. Truly my Lord I came of mortal parents and must confesse me subject to desires freely injoy your Love that were she mine I surely would do no lesse Amur. What sayth Eurenoses Euren. My Lord I say that they may raile at light that nere saw day but had I such a Creature by my side were the world twice enlarged and all that world orecome by me all volumes writ made clean and fild up by Rhetorique straines of my great deeds Historians should spend their Inke and Paper in my sole Chronicle A thousand such alluring idle charmes could not conjure me from betwixt her armes Amur. Your sentence Châ—s-Illebeg Chas What need your grace depend upon our breath I vow my Lord if all those scrupulous things which burden us with precepts so precise those parents which when they are married once and past their strength of years think their sons straight should be as old in every thing as they I say my Lord did my head weare a crowne that Queen should be the chiefest jem t' adorne it spite of all hate That 's an unhappy state when Kings must feare to love least subjects hate Amu. Wel spoke three Milksops Schahin your sword Scahin gives him a Sword Now now be valour in this manly arme to cut off troupes of thoughts that would invade me Think you my minde is waxie to be wrought int'any fashion Orchanes thy strength Here do I wish as did that Emperour that all the heads of that inticing Sexe were upon hers thus then should one full stroake mow them all off Amurath cuts off Eumorphes head shewes it to the nobles there kisse now Captaines do and clap her cheekes this is the face that did so captive me these were the lookes that so bewicht mine eyes here be the lips that I but for to touch gave over fortune victory fame and all these were two lying mirrors where I lookt and thought I saw a world of happinesse Now tutor shall our swords be excercised in ripping up the brests of Christians Say Generals Whither i' st first A. For Thracia Amurath On then for Thracia for he surely shall that conquers first himselfe soon conquer all Exeunt omnes Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Cobelitz solus Cobelitz Thou sacred guider of the arched Heavens who canst collect the scattering starres and fixe the Erratique planets in the constant pole O why shouldst thou take such solicitous care to keep the ayre and Elements in course That Winter should uncloth our Mother Earth and wrap her in a winding sheet of snow that then the spring duly revives her still unbinds her sinews fils her cling'd up veynes with living dew and makes her young again Next that the Nemean terror breathes her flames to parch her flaxie haires with furious heat which to allay too thou op'st the Chataracts and water'st the worlds gardens with blest drops canst thou which canst sustain the ponderous world and keep it in true poize securely sleepe letting a Tyrant which with a fillip thus thou mightest sink to earth to baffle thee A warrior in thy fields I long have been To see if in thy sacred providence Thou meanst to arm me with thy thunder-bolt Yet yet it strikes not now he Giant-wise Dares thee again pardon our earnest zeal What ere 's decreed for man by thy behest He must perform and in obedience rest Thou like Spectators when they do behold an hardy youth encountring with a Bear or somthing terrible then they give a shout so dost thou even applaud they self to see Religion striving with Calamity Which while it often bears and still rests true it 's fence ' gainst all that after shall ensue Turk I le oppose thee still Heaven has decreed That this weak hand shall make that tyrant bleed a man religious firm and strongly good cannot othâ— suddain be nor understood Exit Actus 3. Scena 2. Enter Amurath in Arms Schahin Captains Souldiers Amurath Rise Soul injoy the prize of thy brave worth Schahin the Present that thou so profest should from the City of Orestias make proud our eyes then tell me Hast thou slain a thousand superstitious Christian souls made them stoop to us O I would bath my hands in their warm blood to make them supple Schahin that they may weild more Spears our hands are dull our furie 's patient Now will I be a Turk and to our Prophet's Altars do I vow that to his yoke I will all necks subdue or in their throats my bloody Sword imbrew Schahin calls in his Souldiers and each of them presents to Amurath the head of a dead Christian Scha. Then King to adde fresh oyl unto thy hate and make it raise it self a greater flame see here these Christians heads thus still shall fall before thy fatal hand these impious slaves so long as numbers 's wanting to the sand so long as day shall come with Sun and night be spangled