hold my Lord you will undo your self Asd No Madam no this Provocation Defends him from me I 'l forbear him now Because I will not shew private Revenge Hiar. Oh! Gen'rous Gis What a brave Spirit is here Bat. I have been much mistaken in this Lord. El. There appears something very great in him Aside Had he been always thus I shou'd have lov'd him Asd Dear Fellow Citizens I am accus'd Of Cruelty Revenge and Treachery I ought to clear my self of all these Vices Before I enter on Authority Then how revengeful I am pray observe My Lord Hamilcar has been long and yet Continues my most cruel Enemy I have consider'd Sirs and do believe The Publick may be safe in honest hands Tho' my Lord lives therefore I beg his Life Gis Here is a noble temper Asd More to engage you to bestow his Life I 'll wrap my Life in his and with your leave I 'll wed his beautiful and virtuous Daughter El. Ha! Are you thereabout Aside Ham. You ask the Peoples leave to wed my Daughter Sure I 've most Title to dispose my Child I 'll ne're give my consent if she gives hers May she be punish'd as she does deserve Asd My Lord my Lord you shew so bad a heart The Publick is not safe while you 'r alive Madam once more I beg you retire Attend the Lady hence El. Oh! hold my Lord Asd What wou'd you have me do El. I know not what Asd You see your Father will not save himself But Madam you may save him if you please El. I must consent or he will rack my Father Aside Well Sir I yield Asd To be my Wife El. I do Asd Then I am happy and your Father safe Ham. Daughter be gone I charge you El. And leave you to the Rack Aside Ham. You are a Rack Your shameful Falshood to the gallant Spartan Tortures me more than any Rack can do Whilst he 's defending us we betray him El. I 'll to this Traytor give nothing o' mine Aside Except this Dagger this shall to his heart Shews a Daggor Even at the Altar Ham. Oh! 't will be foul Play You 'll stab your Honour and Integrity 'T were better both of us shou'd lose our Lives El. My Lord I had much rather grieve your heart Than let Racks tear it out I will proceed My Lord I 'm yours To Asd Asd My Dear Embraces her Bat. There goes the Game Now I know where to make my Court I 'll get some fine Pendants for her I think I have gold Tweezers in my Pocket Aside Hiar. Oh! Blessing on you Madam you make the Prince a happy Man Gis Oh! pretty Creature what sweet work will be here to night between ' em I sha'nt sleep for thinking of it Well much good may do you both in good Faith and Troth I wish it with all my heart Asd Gisgon Will you assist this pleasant work Gis Assist it Sir Ay Sir with all my Soul What part shall I have in it Sir Asd Prepare A Bridal Entertainment and my Bed Gis With all my heart Shâ—â—â— Enter a Gentleman Gen. Sir y' are undone here 's Regulus in Town Asd Here 's Villany Hiar. What is the Town deliver'd up to him Gen. No Sir he 's taken Prisoner by the Spartan General assisted by the Roman Tribune who was at the Lord Hamilcar's house to day and came thither for the great design they have now brought about Now Sir your own Friends the common People join with your Enemies against you and threaten to tear you i' pieces for abusing ' em Enter Xantippus and the Spartans they seize Asdrubal Hiarbas Gisgon Xan. Secure 'em all my Love Runs to El. El. My Lord El. runs to Xan. Asd Right Woman El. Oh! you are come in season to preserve My Honour and my most dear Father's life Xan. I have heard all I 'm told Lord Asdrubal You have prepar'd a Bridal Entertainment Pray will you lend it me Asd With all my heart I 'll ne're refuse my Enemy any thing May help him to a Wife and a false Wife El. My Lord I had prepar'd A scurvy Bridal Entertainment for you 'T was this my Lord Shews her Dagger Asd Madam y 'ave not deceiv'd me You had deceiv'd me if you had been faithful For from a Woman no Man looks for Faith Aside Asd I fear I 'm lost Exit Hiar. I thought Ham. Can you read Books without a light Hiar. No. Ham. Yet you 'd read our Councels i' th' dark And know without doors what we do within To Prison with the Priest and Gisgon too Gis I 'm a dead Coxcomb I 'm troubled for my honourable Family Ex. Bat. I wish your Honour Joy with all my heart To Ham. And your Excellence and your Ladyship I am so glad o' this turn Ham. Why what shall you get by 't Bat. The satisfaction to see honest Gentlemen in power and Knaves punish'd Ham. Well said you shall get something by this turn I 'll give you a Lift. Bat. I humbly thank your Honour You were always my good Friend Ham. I 'll help you to a hanging Bat. To a hanging Ham. Yes yo 've traffiqu'd with the Romans And sold 'em Arms. Bat. Oh! I 'm hang'd I 'm hang'd Ex. Ham. Now Sirs I hope you will learn modesty To the People And no more censure things above your reach We do not know the mysteries of your Trades Because we never were instructed in ' em Pray who taught you the mysteries o' State What strange conceits Men have of governing Men must serve Years to know a Handicraft Yet all pretend to skill in Government By natural light and instinct as Birds build Men will pretend to 't who want common Sense Yet are not laugh'd at neither every Man Willingly lets the Frolick go about So he has leave to take it in his turn Ex. Rabble Now my brave Friend To Xan. Xan. My Lord you 'll lose your words I can hear nothing but Elisa's voice El. My Joy's too great for words Xan. And mine for thoughts El. Alas what makes me weep Ham. Excess of Joy Which I am pleas'd to see Well General Where left you Regulus Xan. I know not where I saw Elisa and Joy hurried me Out o' my Wits I think to meet her Arms. Ham. Oh! now I see him in yon gaping Throng Well I 'll conduct him to the Senate House Xan. Do what you please but do not trouble Love Oh! it is new a busie time with me And in the sweetest best affair in Love For Heav'ns sake release me now to love Ham. I will I will then go together go Xan. My Dear El. My Heart Xan. My Soul more than my Soul Ex. Xan. El. embracing Enter Regulus as a Prisoner guarded followed by the Rabble Ham. Here comes the glorious tho' unhappy Man Most noble Consul Reg. Do you mock me Sir Ham. The Gods forbid Reg. I 'm Consul now no more Ham. You may be Sir you have at your dispose
because I shall ha' more share o' power than he He can have no Power but what his Prince gives him but I shall give my Prince Power and therefore he 'll take none from me Asd And will you do what I please Hiar. You shall be pleased with what I do and that 's all one I will give you this world to do what you will with when you are alive and heaven when y 're dead what would you have more And I being so useful to you you will for your own sake be as useful to me And we thus sharing Power are by consequence to help one another to as much as we can Gis Sir this is a very fine Gentleman and a Wise man Hiar. I know what 's what Some half-witted men will throw away this World to get Heaven and some will throw away Heaven to get this World for my part I am for 'em both What good Manners do we shew to Heaven by slighting the good Creatures which Heaven has made I take Prayers and Liquor both down Supernaculum I leave not a Tittle of one nor a Drop o' t'other Gis This Gentleman Sir will make a rare Companion and Counsellor both Well Sir I beseech you promise us to be King If you will not Sir I 'll humbly take my leave of you and be gone to my Tenants and Vassals where I 'll be a little King myself There if a man asks me the reason why I do a thing I cut his Pate there 's my reason Sirrah says I. Hiar. Indeed Sir your Friends will have no heart to stand by you if your Enemies the Senate will reap the Benefit of all your Friends do Asd I will unbosome my self to you I go to lodge a secret in your Breast will be your deaths if ever you reveal it Know then I 've tryed all Pleasures but Reigning and I will Reign because 't is a new Pleasure Gis Huzza now things will go right Sir if you reign for pleasure then pleasure will reign and I am a man of Pleasure I know you will do no business in your own Person you will not go to bed on your own legs you 'l ride on Necks o' Slaves to bed to Concubines Hiar. Oh! sie Senator The Prince will make a vertuous King Gis Not over vertuous you know it Hiar. I don't know it I never see any fault in a Person of Quality I ha' more manners Asd I shall make bold with a little lewdness Hiar. Well if you shall Heaven bless you Sir that 's all I say Truth is I wou'd not have a man have too much Vertue for a man all Vertue like a Pye all Spice will not please Asd He is not fit to rule whom Vertue reigns He 's fit to rule who has at his Command Vertue or Vice as needs of State require Hiar. A notable wise Maxim and has much truth in it Gis We shall have rare times Pray Sir le ts ha' no Soldiering If we must be Soldiers let 's be Soldiers o' wit and pleasure here about the Town see no Fight but a Cock-fight or so Asd I can and will fight if need require Gis Now we talk of new Pleasures Sir pray give me a Command at Sea I 'd fain have a Command at Sea because I never was at Sea in my life Asd You 'd have me Reign how shou'd I get the Crown The People follow me for their own Ends That I shou'd guard 'em all from being enslav'd Hiar. I 'l undertake Sir be Rome's humble Servant She 'l make you Master of this Commonwealth I 'l recommend to you a cunning Rogue Who trafficks with the Romans privately And shall help you to correspond with ' em 'T is the rich Batto Asd How I put my Head Into a mercenary Rascal's power Hiar. Come Sir I 'll put my Head into his power He will not sell it it will yield him little I 'll venture to talk with him Gis Have a care For he once serv'd Hamilcar Hiar. Ay for Gain Profit will make him serve Man or Fury Enter a Gentleman Gen. Batto desires Admission to your Highness Asd Let him come in Enter Batto How now your business Batto Bat. Only to wish your Highness prosperity and glory and to tender my humble service to you who though I say it am able to serve you Sir I 've been in publick Business all my life Gis Come you are an ill Man who so great as you but t'other day with my Lord Hamilcar Bat. Sir I found him a good Man Asd How do you call an Enemy to the Commonwealth a good Man Bat. An 't please your Highness ours is a trading Town and we trading Men account a Man a good Man if his Bond be good and his Security for Money good we look for no other goodness He was once a very thriving Man and I confess I have a great respect for thriving Men. But when once a Man gives over thriving I have done with him Asd Ours is a trading City and the Trade Fills us with dirty Streets and dirty Souls Our Sea brings Mud up to our very Souls When I command the Town I 'll make it trade With Honour Vertue and Piety something more Gis Here 's a Prince your Reverence bred him He is an honour to you Hiar. Indeed I have much comfort from him Bat. But suppose I be a Knave as I hope I am not I 'm sure I say my Prayers often and go to Temples at all idle hours I can spare Hiar. Idle hours y' are an idle Fellow Bat. I beg your Reverences pardon I mean I go as often as I can for I 'm a Man of great business But suppose I be a Knave I 'm fitter to serve your Highness in the Revenues than any Man else be he never so honest because I ha' been more employ'd in 'em than any Man has 'T is true an honest Man won't cheat you but if he be ignorant he 'l let a thousand cheat you Employ me Sir and if I let you be cheated by any Man but my self I 'l be hang'd And I 'l take care to enrich you that I may cheat you insensibly and you never discern it Asd The Fellow talks Sense nay if I let Business lie still till I meet with an honest Man I may wait long enough Gis D' ye hear his Highness is thinking to employ a Knave there 's hopes for you Hiar. Hark you a word You traffick with the Romans Bat. Oh dear who tells your Reverence such a Falshoo'd Hiar. Deny it not I know it and can hang you But on the contrary I will encourage you The Romans are a godly Nation And our's a vile I and more godly Men Have a design by help of the good Romans To give bad Carthage a Religious Master That is this Prince Though he was wild of late He 's now reform'd and is a heavenly Man Help you to make him King when he is King You may be sure of a
friend o' me Asd My ruine wou'd be great delight to me If by my fall Carthage were overwhelm'd Hiar. That it may be spite o' this great success Though Regulus is taken Rome is not Gis I 'll tell your Highness very excellent news The Romans burnt this day in our own Ports Above threescore of our best men of war ha ha Asd Ha! art thou sure of that Gis I 'm very sure all laugh The Romans now may land what men they will If they don't take the Town I'gad I 'l hang. Bat. But will they take the Town before we hang Gis That I can't say Bat. Nay if we hang let who will have the Town Well I am horridly afraid to dye I 'd go to Prayers if I thought t' wou'd signify any thing Gis Whom wou'dst thou pray to thou hast no Friends in Heaven thou never mad'st the least acquaintance there thou hast traded to all parts but Heaven Bat. I doubt none of us have any great store of Friends in Heaven if we had they 'd ne're ha' suffer'd us to come to this Asd Right therefore Heaven has no great Friend o' me Ha! I 'm a fool to open thus my heart To fools who though they should have honesty May be outwitted into knavery But now it is in vain to look my heart For all the dangerous secrets are gone out aside Well Sirs what do you think are we in danger I do not think we are what have we done Much have we talk'd indeed in merriment About I know not what of this and that Of altering some Forms of Government But that was only matter of discourse We cou'd not be in earnest for we know 'T was wholly impracticable Gis Do you hear aside to Hiar. Hiar. That shall not bring him off he was in earnest Gis Were not you so Hiar. No I abhor the thought Gis you mov'd him to 't Hiar. A trick to try him Gis Pox o' your tricks you have noos'd me To save my neck I have been forc'd to make Shameful Confessions Hiar. Well y' are serv'd right why wou'd you be a knave And plot to take your Countries liberty Gis A knave how cou'd I chuse but be a knave Keeping such knavish company as yours Hiar. 'T is very well Asd Ha! wrangling Gentlemen What I believe y' are discompos'd by fear Fear nothing for I say what have we done Shew'd our Affection to the Commonwealth In a mistaken way will they put men To death for being subject to mistakes Then it will be a fault to be a man But do not fear for I have one sure Friend Money I mean which shall buy all our pardons Bat. Oh! dear Sir will your Highness buy my pardon Asd Thine what art thou to me these are my Friends And Gentlemen thou art a barterer Canst traffique for thy self buy thy own head Bat. And so I wou'd at reasonable rates Gis De' e hear de' e hear we have been silly knaves I wou'd I had all my confession back aside Hiar. W 'ave been too hasty I am sorry for it aside Asd I must keep up the spirits of these fools aside Be merry Sirs I warrant you your lives Who 's there Enter Keeper Keep My Lord. Asd Bring in my Wine and Music Enter Wine and Singers Here is sincere Wine Gis And here are sophisticated Knaves pity they shou'd be put together Asd Come sing us a Catch A SONG Chorus Down with your sprightly Wine boys Down with your sprightly Wine boys For a Traveller bound To the Stygian Lake A Brimmer Crown'd With sparkling Sack Is the best is the best Divine boys I. If the Wine be not sound No Falsehood is found In a Bowl well crown'd And it drowns all our Sorrow and Sin And by the help of a Bowl From the World we may rowl More merrily than we came in II. With his Flames and his Flams And his horrible Shams How the Church-man damns The little poor Villains and Whores But the great who by Power Whole Nations devour He merrily crowns and adorns III. If your Sence you 'll resign Give it up to good Wine But to no Divine For his Visions are frightful and sad But the Visions in Bowls Make jovials Souls More merrily merrily mad IV. To what Regious we fly None know when they die Any more than I To be certain of heavenly Bliss The few Moments I stay I by Night and by Day Will merrily revel and kiss Down with your sprightly Wine boys c. Enough be gone Asd I wonder Gisgon your fine Persian Wife Comes not to visit you Gis I wonder more She does not come to kiss your Highness Hands For she has brought with her from Persia Her Country Adoration of all Princes Lady within Where 's my Husband Gis Hark! I hear her voice Enter a Persian Lady supported by her Women Lad. Oh! Princely Sir I humbly kiss the Earth Y' are pleas'd to honour with your sacred Feet Asd Oh! Madam you are not in Persia Lady No Sir I wou'd you were your Royal Blood Wou'd not there meet this profanation Now Sir shall I implore your Princely leave To have some Conference with your Slave my Husband Oh! are you there Sir to Gis Gis Ha! I am afraid She has been told I'm turning an informer aside Lady You are a worthy person Gis Ha! 't is so aside Lady Did not I bring much Honour to your Bed Gis Madam you did Lady Much Fortune too Gis You did Lady Have not I kept the Honour which I brought Gis Madam you have Lady Have not I manag'd too Your Fortune with the utmost care and wisdom Gis Exquisite Wisdom Lady Of your person too Have I not been most tender Gis Most obliging Lady Then why have you been a base man to me Gis 'T is so aside in what respect most noble Madam Lady In such an odious way I loath to name it This Valiant Gentleman this Noble Spark Has sold his Honour for vile shameful life He has submitted cowardly to confess Your Highness plotted to be Monarch here Asd Oh! dog can I not get him near the wall That I may brain him aside have you done this Gisgâ—n Gis Yes Sir I have and Sir you know 't is true Lady Say it be true have you not told me Sir he has a right to reign that he 's descended from King Strato Gis Well let him be descended from fifty Kings I don't care I 'll not be a slave to him nor to any Prince upon earth Asd Oh! Madam it was all but railery And he was one that started first the jest Now by his fooling I lose life and honour Lady His fooling Sir his cowardly treachery What e're you were he was in earnest Sir He has a thousand times boasted to me What Honours he shou'd have when you were King Then though your Highness be most innocent And will escape I hope and beg the Gods He shall dye I 'll swear he is a Traytor Double false both
and marry'd a Wife no better than your self and your Wife has the insolence to vye for finery and dresses with my most noble Lady I tell you what humble your Wife or I 'll break your pate Bat. I cannot an 't please your Honour she humbles me Gis I 'll humble you both then How now what graceful person comes this way oh 't is my very venerable friend the Priest of Hercules Bat. He has the marks of a jolly rich Priest a rubrick Nose and a canonical belly Gis You 'd have him as errant an Ass as you are Sir starve in the midst of wealth He eats and drinks like a man of sense Here he comes Enter Hiarbas My very venerable friend how does your Reverend person Hi. Very aw yawns well aw Gis Your Reverence I think is drowzy Hi. Yes in troth I crop'd my Nap something short last Night and now it springs again Drowziness twists Vine-like about my Chops and arrests me for the Hours I borrowed of her Gis What you were up at study Hi. No in troth I study not of late it makes me fat 't is a great hinderer of digestion Gis Not of digesting Books my reverend friend Hi. I ha' not leisure now to digest Books I laid in a good stock of Academick sense when I was young and faith that serves me now How dost thou do Batto Bat. Thank your Reverence Hi. This is an honest fellow Senator Gis No no a knave a knave Hi. He comes to my Temple sometimes and gives me my dues if a man does that I forgive him a great many frailties I love to season life with a good even hand Vertue Morality and Piety are very wholsome things but not over toothsome We must mingle a little liberty and frailty with 'em and then they relish well Gis Your Reverence speaks like a Gentleman But I am not of opinion because a man o' quality now and then makes bold with Heaven therefore every Jack Sawce may do it I think a Gentleman shou'd be indulg'd Hi. Sir a Prince is to have his will for he 's the Image of the Gods a Gentleman is to have his pleasure for he is the Image of his Prince a common fellow is to drudge for he is the Image of an Ass Shout Gis Did not your Reverence hear the shouts and huzza's of the people after our splendid friend Prince Asdrubal A word wi' you He 's in a fair way to be King aside Hi. Silence have a care A shout Hark I think he comes Gis Ay. 't is he 't is he and all the World after him I am over-joy'd Enter Asdrubal followed by an armed multitude Sir I am in raptures I cannot govern my joy I most ardently embrace your knees Asd Enough Gis Sir I can never have enough Hiar. A word wi' you Senator you will betray all aside No body will believe these Transports of Joy at the Princes advancement are for the sake of the Public Gis Damn the Public I care not a Farthing for the Public Hiar. Every body believes that therefore these Raptures are plain confessions of some other aims aside Well Fellow Citizens you are in a fair way to be great and happy you address to a Prince who has power and vertue can and will save you Asd To serve you all I 'm sure I have a Will If I want Power that is not my Fault And here are coming some to take away That little Power I have I mean the Guards They 'r coming to oppose me and themselves For I 'm it may be the best Friend they have Hiar. There 's Lord Hamilcar in the head of ' em Gis He 's a wise man did not your Highuess offer to marry his Daughter Asd I did I thought him then a man of Honor. Gis Well let 'em come we 'ave strength to deal with ' em Enter Hamilcar and a Guard Ham. Lord Asdrubal why wilt thou force the Senate To use your ill your noble Ancestors Highly oblig'd your Country their deserts Have pleaded for you and we lent an ear Till your extravagance ran to this height And in the Town made a wide dangerous rent When mighty Regulus is at our Walls And our united strength can scarce preserve us Asd Have you spoken Ham. I have Asd Then pray bear patiently some words from me I 've suffer'd tamely many wrongs from you And the whole Senate For the sake of peace My private wrongs I never will revenge But for the sake of peace and publick good The injuries your self and many more Have done the Common-wealth I 'll ne're forgive No with the hazard of my life I 'll try To right my Country upon all of you Ham. My Lord we understand you well enough We know what Serpents lurks under these Flowers Ambition you are lab'ring to be King Asd 'T is false I take the Gods to be my witness Ham. Why do your fav'rites then insinuate In every place that y' are of Royal Blood Asd Am I to answer for my followers And I have Royal Blood is it a fault Gis Now I am concern'd to speak For a Person of Quality I am a tolerable Scholar I read books and books of Heraldry delight me much I dabble much in the fountains of great Families By consequence I am not ignorant of his Highness Prince Asdrubal's extraction I know he is descended from King Strato the Royal Ancestor of Queen Dido of ever blessed memory Ham. Well what then Gis Why then he is descended from King Sicheus Hiar. Then his Highness shews the more humility by submitting to serve Asd I declare my self the humblest Servant of the poorest man here Hiar. Here 's a fine Gentleman Gis A delicate Prince it does my heart good to look upon him Asdr I never will renounce my Royal Blood But any Title or Desire to reign I solemnly renounce before the Gods What can the Crown give me many more troubles Little more Greatness than I now possess My Patrimonial Lands are a large Empire I love my ease too much to wish to reign It is my Fault I was so long a rising To serve the Commonwealth I am afraid I'rise too late and things are gone too far Now I 'm disturb'd I 'll not take any rest Till I have fix'd or done my best to fix The Commonwealth in Safety and Repose Therefore my Lord give up your Power this minute Or I will try by force to make it mine Ham. This is no Season for domestic Strife My Lord consider Asdr I 've too long consider'd Ham. Will you give us some leisure to consider Asd I 'll give you Forty hours if in that time You do not find some reasonable way To give the Commonwealth speedy Relief I will repair to utmost violence Ham. Well you shall very quickly hear from me Ex. Asd You see my Friends what a great Stake I lay That you may win for I can be no greater Nor richer than I am but in your Love But you
to the Prince and People Gis Oh! Whore aside Lady So is that Reverend person too Asd And has the Priest been dabbling Lady Deeply Sir He has been at his Revelations His Commentaries Sir on your dark Text. Asd I 'll take him by the beard and wring his head off Hiar. Well Sir I did as I was bound in conscience I 'll not betray my Countries Liberty Asd No then thou 't not a Priest Lady Ah! foolish men they might have liv'd and dy'd With glory and have got a thousand Friends Hia They 'd ha' done us much good when we were hang'd Lady More good than infamous base life will do Now all will spit upon you I abhor you Who lately ador'd you and resolv'd to do The greatest things for you Gis What cou'd you do Bat. Oh! Madam can you do us any kindness Oh! if you can I will present your Honour I will give any thing for my head in reason Lady Hold thy tongue fool I think not of such fellows But for my Husband and his Reverence too I wou'd have done what had amaz'd the world If they had done as great men ought to do I 'd have convey'd 'em through the Town in pomp In spite of all the Senate Gis Through the Town Lady Yes when your glorious Martrydom was past I wou'd ha' crown'd you such Funerals Gis Pox o' your Funerals Hiar. Mind your own Funerals Vex not your head with ours Asd Oh! Madam bury 'em dead or alive Or the corrupted Rogues will breed a pest Lady I cannot serve his Reverence as I wou'd And he deserves but it is in my power To do my Husband justice I 'll right him Gis She 'l be the death of me I must retard her while I get my Pardon Aside I have consider'd on 't I would retract My confession and rather dye than live In all the shame I 've brought upon my self But I 'm afraid they 'l torture me to death Lady Oh! I've so much Power with the great men Be you a noble valiant Gentleman One I may own and love Dye like a Hero For this great high-born Prince I 'll undertake The State shall not torment a man I love Gis She is a whore to the whole Commonwealth Lady I 'll get you any kind of death you fancy And for his Reverence too if he desire it Hiar. I do not fancy any kind of death If you do Madam take your fill of it Poyson or hang your self and if you like it Come tell us so and Madam we 'll be hang'd Lady 'T is well great Sir I humbly take my leave With infinite concernment for your danger I wou'd ha' sacrificed my Husband for you With all my heart Asd I do believe it Madam Lady Or my own life Asd You much oblige me Madam Lady I take my leave in great confusion Gis She 'd have sacrific'd me Hiar. These women tamper here with State affairs And hang their Husbands I 'll be hang'd by no body I 'm Heavenly mettal and belong to Gods And I will keep their Plate from batterry Troth Batto I have done your business too I 've let the Councel know your villany Not only trade with Romans but conspire To set a King over the Commonwealth And take away our Liberties and Laws Bat. Oh! horrible did you not move me to 't Hiar. Only to try you I had heard of you I 'm watchman for the Public 't is my Office To have my Eye and Ear in every place And knock at every door When I mov'd you I knock'd and found a Knave within your bosom Bat. And so you 'd hang me Hiar. I 've endeavour'd it Bat. Well and I 've endeavour'd to hang you I 've let the Councel know your Villany Hiar. Ha! have you so Well see who shall have most credit Gis Nay none of us I think will have much credit Asd So so the Rogues are hanging one another If ever a turn comes I 'll hang you all Hiar. Let a turn come I fear not you or death For death will only change my vehicle Enter Keeper Keep My Lord here are some Senators from the Senate To speak with your Highness Asd To take my head I 'm lost Wait on 'em in Enter Senators 1. Sen. My Lord the Senate sends to beg your Highness To be Protector o' the Commonwealth Asd Protector Sir 1. Sen. The Spartan General Usurps upon the State he forc'd the Senate To release Regulus on his Parole The Common People think they are betray'd And have requir'd the Senate to free you And give you power that you may punish him Asd Sir I 'm unfit for Power these Gentlemen Have accus'd me of very horrid Treasons 2. Sen. They 'r not believ'd but look'd on as defamers And order'd to be kept in close confinement Gis Oh! brave oh brave Hiar. Oh! curse on evidencing Asd Now Rascals Keeper put these men in setters Now Noble Senators I 'll wait on you To my most honourable Lords the Senate Ex. SCENE the Roman Camp Enter on one side o' the Stage Metellus Lepidus and other Roman Commanders on the other side Regulus Met. Oh! Consul Reg. Brave Metellus brave friends all De' e weep nay then it seems you are subdued Met. Who ever saw such an amazing change Reg. Does it amaze you to see fortune change The wonder wou'd be greater shou'd she fix She takes my freedom to maintain her own Remove your Eye from fortune my dark part And fix it on my self who still remain Not only unconquer'd but invincible Yet o're victorious Carthage I 'll triumph Met. Oh! Sir then have you terms for liberty Reg. My liberty depends not on their will 'T is true the freedom of my body does But that is born a slave by nature bound To serve the mind a time prefixt by fate And then turn'd over to new bonds in death Of this poor vassal I take little care How free my mind is you shall soon perceive Met. I tremble for him Reg. Carthage to release This Body which can never be releas'd From vassallage to sufferings and death Asks the refunding all our Victories Lep. Agreed one Regulus is worth 'em all For he 'll regain 'em all Reg. You shall not give The smallest link out o' that golden Chain It setters Carthage now but if once broke Carthage may scape arise nay enslave Rome I come to rule your dangerous love to me Which I fear more than Carthaginian Racks For these can give me but some painful hours Which glory will allay and death will end But you wou'd torture me with lingring shame Got by a treacherous and cowardly peace Then as your Consul I command you all Give Carthage no more peace than this short truce Met. And what becomes o' you Reg. I must return Man Oh! joyful news Aside Lep. Sir you return to dye Reg. It may be so Lep. To a tormenting death Reg. It may be so my word and oath are past And nothing do I fear
Heaven This shred of Life cannot be all the Web Nature has wrought to cover divine Spirits There is a Heaven because there 's misery The divine Power ever blest and good Made not the World for an ill natur'd jest To sport himself in pains of those he made Ful. True but for Heaven what must you endure Reg. No more than what you cou'd endure for me Ful. Oh! that I might I 'd run to it with joy Reg. Then cannot I for you sweet Fulvia Met. So y 'ave prepared balm for the parting blow And that you may the better bear it to Take from each other your entangling Eyes I 'll interpose and hide 'em now my Lord. Metellus goes between Regulus offers to go Fulvia holds him Ful. Hold hold I cannot will not let you go I 'll lose my arms before I 'll lose my hold I know what you resolve is glorious But I 'm a Woman and my Love prevails And the more brave you are the more I love And the less able am to part with you Reg. Oh! I am in a tempting dangerous snare Ful. Nay do not grieve you cannot scape from me I shall release you soon my heart will break The Ghost of Apamia rises Fulvia shreiks and falls in her Womens Arms. Met. She shreiks and dies her heart is broke indeed Poor Girl Reg. Oh! now I see what made her shriek A frightful Messenger is come for me Met. From Carthage Reg. From the dead 't is my dead Wife Ghost sinks Met. I perceive nothing dead but my poor Child I hope she 's dead life would afflict her now Reg. Take notice Heaven what we all endure Only for Vertue This one sweet last touch Of this fair hand is the only recompence I shall receive for all I lose on Earth Met. I 'll see you to the Lines then take my leave Ex. Fulvia recovers Ful. Oh! he is gone he is for ever gone Fond tears be gone such vain and vulgar sorrow Does not become the grave of Regulus I 'll strew his Tomb with Carthaginian Ruines And this whole Nation for his bloody death Shall weep to death in blood Ho Lepidus Enter Lepidus Where is your Consul Lep. He is near the Walls Where Thousands of us will be presently We are preparing for him a revenge Ful. Come follow me I 'm now your Consul his Soul lives in me We 'll bury Carthage so that where it stood In future ages shall to few be known Some shall believe here never was a Town Ex. SCENE Carthage Enter Asdrubal Senators and Attendants Asd Most noble Senators will you be pleas'd To tell my honorable Lords the Senate I 'll only give some necessary orders About their Service then attend their Pleasures Sen. We shall my Lord. Ex. Senators Asd I fee the Senates craft I 'm only us'd like Physic for a need With loathing forc'd upon 'em and the wish'd Effect once wrought I shall be flung away For Commonwealths cannot bear glorious men By the confessions of the Priest and Gisgon I am in danger but I 'll try to quash ' em I order'd the confessing Gentlemen To his Attend. Should be brought to me 1. They are come my Lord. Enter Hiarbas Gisgon Batto guarded Asd How the Rogues look and tremble for my sport aside I 'll let their terrors worry 'em a while Gisg What will he do with us Hiar. I do not know I 'm under dreadful consternation Gisg How are y' afraid of death now it is come I 've heard you crow over death on your own Dunghil Bat. Oh! no profaneness in affliction pray Gis Oh! now the wind sits there y 'ave a sore Throat At other times your swallow's large enough Asd The Rascals wrangle and how pale they look The Priest there has a face just like a Goose White every where except about his Bill His Nose is faithful to the dye Wine gave it Well now my grave my cheating face goes on aside Oh! Gentlemen I love and honor you Come to my arms Hiar. What 's this come to his arms aside Gis Has he not got an engine there to flash us aside Asd You lov'd the Commonwealth above my life Or your own credit you are honest men You play'd the part of Spies oh you did well To tell you truth it was a part I play'd I was a Spy on you Gisg Indeed my Lord Asd Indeed But you had one great quality Most fit for Spies of which I had no share You scorn those scorns which always are the vales Of that unlucky Office I confess I was kept under by the fear of shame And partly by some tenderness for you I love you Gentlemen Gisg Your humble Servant Hiar. Your Excellencies very humble Servant Gisg A noble Gentleman Bat. A gallant Man Asd Besides I found no great necessity To do you harm when I had power enough To hinder you from doing the State harm But that I never meant to wrong the State I swear before the Gods Do not I know It is impossible to be King here Speak your minds Gentlemen you never thought I was so foolish as to be in earnest And stake my life at a sure losing game Hiar. We knew not what to think of your Highness We acted as our Consciences directed Asd Oh! You did very well y' are honest men Bat. I can swear for your Highness you never said one word to me of being King Asd Th' ast done me right so must these Gentlemen Or they will bring great guilt upon themselves For Gentlemen had you thought me in earnest You 'd have inform'd when first you knew my guilt Instead o'th at you never let it go Till you cou'd purchase your own lives by it For Sirs can you deny the fear of death Had not a mighty hand in this great work Gisg It had a little finger in 't indeed Asd Well Gentlemen y 'ave serv'd the Senate well Now he that is an entire honest Man Does right to all Men clear my innocence Then both the Senate and myself must love you For having serv'd us both most honestly And let me tell you it is in my power To raise or ruine you which I shall do According as I find you good or bad Hiar. We had best stick to him he 's a great man aside to Gis Gis Ay and a very devillish cunning Man aside Bat. Ay and an honest man for ought I know He never said a word to me of being King aside Hiar. This Fellows evidence too will mischief us We 'll serve your Highness Asd You are honest men Come we will to the Senate they are sate Ex. SCENE The Senate House The Senate sitting the Pretor in the Chair Enter Asdrubal Hiarbas Gisgon Batto Asd Most Honorable Venerable Lords I have an infinite desire to serve you It is my sole ambition whatsoe're Some Men may tell you but alas my arm Is wither'd by a blast these Gentlemen Have blown upon me I must do 'em right They have inform'd
I talk'd of being King 'T is true I did they started first the Talk The Apparition of so great a Treason So scar'd me that I knew not what to answer I soon reflected I should better serve The State by humoring these Gentlemen To find how far they'd dug in such a Mine Then I should do by making 'em in friâ—â—ts Conceal their works But that I ever went One step with 'em or gave 'em cause to think I aim'd at being King I do deny And they have prov'd by hiding long the Treason But I commend 'em that they e're discover'd it And humbly beg noble Rewards for ' em Pret. What say you Gentlemen d' ee think my Lord Meant to be King Gis We know not what he meant We did discover it for fear he meant it But were not hasty in discovery Because it was not plain to us he meant it Pret. It seems he would and he would not be King Why Sir you baffle your own evidence What says your Reverence to this affair Hiar. I do desire as it becomes my Coat To have my name and conscience without spot I fear'd his Highness was ambitious To feel his pulse I mov'd him to be King His Highness did accept the tempting proffer To do my Duty to the State I told it But I must do his Highness right He ne're advanc'd one step in th' affair Or gave us cause to think he did approve it So I have conscientiously discharg'd My Duty to the Senate and his Highness Pret. That is to say y 'ave play'd the Knave with both And with yourself the Fool as you shall find What says that Citizen Bat. An 't please your Honor His Highness never said one word to me Of being King All I know of th' affair Was from his Reverence he told me indeed His Highness had a fancy to be King And also said if I would help his Highness To keep a correspondence with the Romans If by the Romans help he got the Crown I shou'd be sure of very rich rewards 1. Sen. So so they 've been disposing all our Money Pret. And all our Lives the Romans must ha' come By all y 'ave said y 'ave fairly clear'd my Lord And charg'd yourselves I think 't is fit they die What says your Lordships Sen. Ay ay hang 'em hang ' em Gisg How hang us Sen. Go away with 'em and hang ' em Gisg My Lord my Lord will you let us be hang'd To Asd Asd What wou'd you have me do oppose the Senate Gisg We are all fop'd here fop'd out of our lives Bat. Oh! dear I cannot dye I cannot dye Pret. Thou canst do nothing else thou dyest with fear Bat. I am not prepared to dye Gisg No Sir nor I. Bat. I have my Religion yet to chuse Gisg I have my hanging Equipage to make I desire to hang like a Man o' Quality Pret. Dye piously that 's the best Equipage 1. Sen. They 'r not content with hanging torture ' em Gis Hold hold my Lords we beg we may be hang'd Bat. That 's a sad thing must we intreat a hanging 2. Sen. Away with 'em and hang 'em presently Hiarbas Gisgon and Batto are guarded off Asd So Traytors now will have a care of me aside For I out-match 'em all at their own art Now venerable Lords my hands are free To guard you Pret. To destroy us all we know you aside A Noise of a Multitude crying Justice Justice Enter Offloer Offi. My Lords the Traytors are all executed And at their deaths conjured the Multitude If any thing they had was precious to 'em With utmost speed to quell Lord Asdrubal Or he 'd be King and they 'd be all undone So all the Town are at your gates to beg You 'll fling him to their mercy Pret. We will do 't Guards seize Lord Asdrubal and carry him out To be dispos'd as the good People please Asd As the base Rabble please your dirty Lords You take my life for what you ought to thank me I shou'd have honor'd you by being your King Had I been King y 'ad serv'd a high born Prince Now you are Vassals to a nasty Rout. Confound your Commonwealth Confound it no. Continue it Heaven that there may never live A great Man here In a base Commonwealth Merit is Treason a great Man oppresses His little Masters by out-shining ' em I 'm your Oppressor now your Tyrant now Fear of me tortures you I give you Laws Shake and look pale you do Obedient Cowards While I have Life I 've Empire in my frown And in my courage a bright awful Crown Ex. Pret. Why what a thundring Tyrant had this been Upon a Throne when he is thus in Fetters 1. Sen. 'T is well we 're rid of him wou'd with this ease We cou'd be freed from the bold dangerous Spartan The Traytor Asdrubal has told some truth A Commonwealth bears no imparity A great Man is a Tumor is a Disease Enter an Officer Offi. My Lords the Roman Consul is return'd The Spartan General attends With his great Prisoner to know your pleasures Pret. Go bring 'em in Enter Xantippus sad and dejected Regulus bold and lively Ha! What means this our General is sad Which is the Conqueror and which the Captive Reg. Have you forgotten me so soon my Lords Pret. No but you come with the air of a Triumpher Your Conqueror there comes like a mournful Prisoner Has he subdued you General since he went Xant Yes and your Lordships too he has o'recome In a more dreadful battle with his Friends Than e're he fought with your most valiant Troops Their griefs had sharper edges than your Swords He has o'recome 'em all and now returns To triumph here and if I might prevail He shou'd triumph and be led round the Town With Lawrels crown'd t' encourage all your Subjects To do for Carthage what he did for Rome For if you honor vertue in a Foe What may a great deserving Friend expect Pret. Is this true Regulus have you brought war Reg. I have done Justice both to Rome and you What Roman Valor got I have preserv'd And hither brought myself your right by war 1. Sen. Be crown'd with Lawrels torn with red hot Pincers Xant Be torn 2. Sen. Be torn Go fetch the Torturers Xant Touch him that dares he is my right Pret. Once more Out-brave us all in our own Senate-house Xantippus know we are provided for you Our fond confiding in your faith and honor Expos'd us lately to your insolence Now we have fifty Thousand Men in arms Affront us now no Spartan shall escape Xant Behave yourselves like Men and we 'll obey you But if you will be Lions and devour A valiant Man only in love to blood We 'll do our best to scowre your filthy den Happen what will to us Reg. Gallant Xantippus No more no more o' this if y' are my Friend You torture me more than these Men can do For I shall glory in
the blows others give Your Name will have a noble sound from all the blows which make many a Coxcomb ake though you ne're strike stroke Asd This is prate I must not lose mine Honor. Gis Sir if you will go I beseech you kill me Your danger will put me in such torment I shall not be able to bear it I would not follow you for all the world and see an Arrow come near you Hiar. Sir you are going to be a King keep State Do not let every paltry Sword be familiar with your Person Gis Sir I who am but a Gentleman scorn as much to let a base Fellow fight with me as eat with me A Shout Enter an Officer Off. Good news Sir your Enemies are beaten Lord Hamilcar is taken Prisoner Gis Huzza well Sir you are a glorious Prince What Soldiership you have shown to day Asd Do you laugh at me You would not let me discover Soldiership Gis We would not let you play the common Soldier and run your self into danger but you shewed such Generalship as I never saw and I have seen many a General and many a General in my time They may talk of their Reguluses and their Reguluses Sir if you ben't a better Soldier than Regulus I 'le hang for 't Asd Oh! prithee Gis Come Sir I know Generalship when I see it Now Sir the Crown is within your reach send me to Sea I 'le do you Honor there I 'le keep you such a Table Hiar. Shall I humbly offer you my advice Sir Make all Persons depend upon you Crush them that will not Advance them that will But above all favor those upon whom you depend that is to say us Priests Asd Go fetch my Lord Hamilcar to an Officer now he 's mine aside His Daughter will be mine I have hold of her By a strong tye Affection to her Father I love her beauty though herself I hate For the disgrace and scorn sh 'as thrown on me If I can ever get her in my power She first shall please my Lust then my Revenge Enter Hamilcar a Prisoner So so here comes the noble Criminal Dear Countrymen you see the power of truth I charg'd this Lord with Treason against the State Great was his power and policy but truth Greater than both breaks out in spite of ' em Ham. Dear Countrymen y 're all out of your way And 't is no wonder men in darkness rove What light have you in mysteries of State What business there could you come by a light I pray who made you Privy Councellors The Senate never did A Roman Tribune Was i' my house to day know you for what No when you do you 'l be asham'd o' this Asd My Lord y 're of a Noble Family But the more great you are the greater bonds Lie on you to be faithful to the Public From whence you have such great advantages Truth is a Debt you owe the Commonwealth A man of Honor ought to pay his Debts I should be glad you 'd fairly discharge yours For my own sake that I might come off cheaply Without the torment of tormenting you For I can pain no man and scape my self Hiar. Here 's a sweet Gentleman Gis A lovely creature Ham. My Lord you wrack me now by shewing me Such shameful baseness in a Nobleman Asd Is it possible have you no tenderness Nor for the Commonwealth nor for your self He 'l force me to inflict those torments on him Which I can never suffer tho he can Hiar. Was ever such a noble soul to have such a concern for his Enemies Gis Oh! Countrymen you 'l have a delicate Magistrate Enter Batto Asd Oh! here comes one I hope can ease us all Batto you 've had great dealings with this Lord And must know very much of his designs If you 'd discover to us what they are You 'd greatly serve your Country and your self Bat. How I turn Evidence when the trade comes to nothing no such matter I ne're like the trade when 't was at best Besides I have nothing to evidence I could make a Story but what should I make of the story it may be a Rope for my self A great man if an unmanageable thing I don't care to deal with him Though he 's down now he may get up again and knock my brains out aside An 't please your Honor I only dealt with his Lordship about money matters if he had any treasonable designs he had more wit than to tell me he knew I abhorred them and would discover them Therefore I had a pretty good opinion of him because he employ'd me So I can say nothing against him I 'm sorry for it Asd I must be forc'd to fly to violence Most unexpressibly against my nature Gis Good Gentlemen Asd Ha! what I wish I see his Daughter come aside Enter Elisa and her Women El. Oh! where 's my Father Oh! my Lord my Lord Ham. Daughter away away you ruine me I was not half undone before you came For you my better half was then secure El. I cou'd not hold from venturing my own life To preserve yours Ham. Prethee what canst thou do To preserve me that will not ruin me Wilt thou give up thy honour El. Heaven forbid Ham. That thou wilt do only by marrying him Since thou art promis'd to a Nobler Man El. I 'll try to fool him into clemency Ham. Oh! he will not be fool'd El. Yes by a woman Asd Madam I hope y' are lab'ring to preserve Your Father both from death and suffering I seek to do 't whose ruine he hath sought Can you prevail with him to own the truth El. My Lord you know he 's innocent at least You do not know of any guilt he has Asd We do not know what 's needful to be known We know so much that I shall deserve death If I consent to smother all the rest Madam I have much tenderness for you Indeed I 'm very unwilling to let fall Your Fathers heavy doom in your soft ear Therefore I pray retire out of harms way Attend the Lady out El. Oh! hold my Lord. Can you destroy the Father of a Woman Whom you once dearly lov'd You swore you did Asd To save the State I cou'd destroy my self El. My Lord the World knows well you love a Woman Above the Commonwealth above your self And if you can be cruel to a Woman What must the Men expect when at your mercy They must all please your Lust or be destroy'd For oh my Father did refuse me to you From thence arises all your Rage against him Asd Madam I am so far from private Piques Let any Man discover me a way How publick Safety and your Father's Life May stand together and with all my heart I 'll pardon him what e're he did to me Nay more I 'l lay my Life under his Feet Ham. How good are you for I 'l ne're pardon you The Mischiefs you ha' done the Commonwealth El. Oh!