is there and almost all The Royal Blood but what is in his veins His Mother Brother Daughters little Son Nay more his beauteous Queen are slaves to those To whom they once scorn'd to be Sovereigns Two Royal Virgins in their early Spring Lye like fallen Blossoms at their Mother's feet At her fair Bosom hangs her Infant Son A withering branch torn from his once great hopes He who was lately Heir of half the World Is now not Lord of his poor little Self His greatest happiness is Ignorance He does not know the Glory he has lost But hugs the Enemy that ruins him The Conqueror cannot see this without Tears And cursing his unfortunate success And then oh Can it be endur'd by us But I may spare all this to Men so brave So tryed as you have to your Glory been Lord Bessus Nabarzanes and your Troops Na. We may one day be tryed upon your selves aside Be. Silence Lord Nabarzanes have a care aside Ar. Fortune Lord Bessus seems afraid of you She 's Alexander's Mistress but you Slave She gives him Favours but you ravish ' em At our great blow at the Cilician Streights All came off safe as priviledg'd from Fate That kept within the precincts of your Sword. Be. Indeed my Lord my Bactrians did well Ar. And you Lord Patron and your valiant Greeks Must give me leave to give you your due praise These gallant Men are to our Fortune tyed By indispensable Allegiance But you are strangers loose from any bonds Pa. My Lord we are for ever bound to you By Gratitude and Honour Greece indeed Gave us our birth but you our happiest hours That our best Blood is yours Ar. Most Noble Lord Well If we fail to morrow 't will be strange We have the strength of this vast Monarchy The justice of our Cause Necessity Ay and th' inconstancy of Fortune too That mutability which ruin'd us In the last Field may be our Friend the next Now to your Tents and take a brief repose That so prepar'd you may not be surpriz'd The King suspects these Macedonian Thieves Will act like Thieves and steal on us by night They will not dare to look on us by day And therefore he has wisely given Command Great part o' th' Army be in Arms all night And all be ready at the Trumpets sound Be. 'T is wisely order'd Ar. Now my Lords Good Night Be. My Lord we wish your Excellence Good night Heaven give us all to Morrow a Good Day Ex. Ar. Pa. I 'le to my Charge my Lords Good night to you Ex. Pa. Be. Good Night Lord Patron this is a brave Greek Na. And our old General a brave Persian Be. He 's like the Sun a Largesse to the World And not to be consum'd by age or toil Na. The King and he are th' only gallant Men In this whole Nation Be. Memnon to your Tent. Mem. Good Night my Lord. Ex. Mem. Be. He 's honest but he 's young Our talk has too much weight for his green youth Na. And our Affairs I think have so much weight We shall not sleep beneath 'em much to night Be. 'T is true my Lord come let us to my Tent Come with us Dataphernes Da. Ay my Lord. Ex. All go out and re-enter immediately SCENE Bessus's Tent. Be. Our Fortune places us in a strange Post For we are bound to fight against our selves Let who will conquer we shall be subdued For say the Persian Army gets the day We know they cannot do it without us The noble fruits of our own Gallantry Will all be set in this luxurious Soil Our Swords will be as barren as our Lands These Cowards must rule the Brave by whom they rule Dat. They Govern us they ha' not power to rule Men Wine or Women or their own Silk-worms The Men are all devour'd by Luxury And Alexander only has the Orts. Na. Therefore they 'r nauseous both to Heaven and Earth And it is insolence in mortal Man To force upon the Gods what they disgust Cram Nations down the throat of Providence Which it throws up again in every field Dat. I do declare I 'd no more fight to guard The King's Dominions over heartless Cowards Than I wou'd fight for Eagles to defend Their Principality over the Birds Be. Nay I have ever thought a Persian King Was at the most but Master of a Mint Persia has Gold and Jewels but no Men It has been long depopulated all By Slavery and Vice by Women too Women shou'd fill and they unman their Towns War lays 'em not so wast War mars and makes This War has made more Men than it has kill'd The slaughter'd heaps were only loads of Clay Where there was the Image of a Man. Na. My Lord they are all Images of Whores They march into the field rather equipp'd Like Ladies for a Ball than Troops for War. like Women too with weapons weaponless They dye unwounded by the sight of Wounds And serve the Ravens up in massy Plate The Persian Crows are fed in greater pomp Than Kings of Macedon Dat. Oh! never cowards Were at more cost nobly to hide themselves The Men cannot be seen for Plumes and Gold. Nor can the Gold for Diamonds be seen The Royal Metle is opprest by Jewels Their modest Swords which abhor nakedness Though Heaven knows in State of Innocence Sleep in their Scabbards as in Velvet Beds Under rich Coverlids of cluster'd Pearl Na. And to what end is this they only prove Fine Sumpter Hoâ—ses to the Enemy To carry Baggage for 'em to the field Be. Yet they must Lord it o're brave Nations Who can subdue both Men and Elements How does our naked flesh vanquish the cold How oft is Snow our only Winter Shirt Na. Yet does our Gallantry far exceed theirs We have no Ladies Favours on our Swords But Victories the Favours of the Gods Are always there Be. No thanks to Persians Who do not only quit us in the field And so most cowardly expose our lives But stint our Troops that they may starve our Fame I have five thousand Horse and only fight To be a slave to Cowards Na. Nay to Brutes Europeans are Men for they enjoy Their Reason wisely gather'd into Laws Here they are Brutes for only strength commands Our only Law is that there is no Law. All things are lawful here to Power but Laws The only rule of Justice here is Might The strong devour the weak and no wrong done The Wolf is not unjust that eats the Lamb. The Lamb is in the wrong to be a Lamb. Be. In short the Nature of the King is mild But cruel is the Nature of his Crown Then to whose lot soever it befals If I survive they shall not keep it long Not that I mean to fix it on my Head But to Crown Nature Freedom and Sense In which all Men have equal shares with me Na. My Lord you 'l have a Crown in those great Thoughts Not what 's without but what
I therefore beg you to accept It is true commâ—n Dedicators have brought this sort of Addresses into as much contempt as common Evidences have done Swearing The true and first intent of 'em was Sacred A Dedication ought to be a little Chappel Consecrated to the Memory of some Friend of Worth and a Repository of Holy Reliques Now 't is become like the Temple Church a place where Knights of the Post ply that are ready to say any thing for any one But I have kept a better Reputation in the World you will come amongst good company There are few Names fixt before my Writings but may serve like the Phenix's on the Front of our new Buildings for marks of Insurance and might insure 'em were it possible But I come to you with no such foolish design For how ridiculous and unreasonable is it to desire another to defend my impertinence An office no wise Man will undertake and the greatest Man that is cannot perform My Writings when they are out of my hand are no longer mine the World pays for 'em and will manage 'em as they please All care of 'em is vain therefore I take none My Honesty no Man shall dispose of but myself 'T is to preserve that and not my Writings I beg your leave for this Address and I wou'd not accept your leave if it wou'd cost me any flattery You have liv'd in the last Court and this with great Reputation Have approv'd yourself to be a Man of Honour Loyalty Courage Generosity good Sense good Nature and good Morals which ought to be celebrated for the publick Good which too much wants such examples I know how ill the sick and corrupt World digests the least praise of any but themselves How tyr'd even good Men are if you lead 'em far into the commendation of any Man and the bad will not go along with you but on some ill design Therefore I shall keep where I am safe where every Man will be o' my side No Man that knows you but confesses you to be one of the worthiest Gentlemen they know I shou'd therefore shew very little worth of myself if I shou'd slight both your Favour and Desert And SIR I hope you who have forgiven Writings of mine that shew my Follies will not be displeas'd with this Dedication where I shew the few Virtues I have my Justice and Integrity which are the best claims I have to the Title of SIR Your most Humble and Obliged Servant JOHN CROWN Dramatis Personae DArius King of Persia Artabasus A Nobleman of great Quality Loyalty Years General of all the King's Armies Bessus Viceroy of Bactria Nabarzanes Viceroy of Hircania Memnon A beautiful valiant Loyal young Man Son of Bessus by an Amazon Queen Patron A valiant faithful Greek General of the Greek Auxiliaries that serve in the Persian Army Dataphernes A Bactrian Officer that serves under Bessus Barzana A beautiful Princess o' the Royal Blood Married to Bessus Oronte Her Confident SCENE The Plains and Town of Arbela in Persia THE PROLOGUE WHen a young Writer Poetry first wooes Oh! how he 's charm'd with a fond flatt'ring Muse Scorns Physick Law Divinity he climbs To Heaven by Ladders made o' Ropes o' Rhimes Finds Heaven and Gold in Verse and while he pores He pities Judges Bishops Chancellors They ne'r attain his Joys they 'r Rich and Great But he 's above 'em all for he 's a Wit A Prince in Verse and Princes Titles give His Pen at will makes Honour dye or live He dubbs this Man a Knave a Coxcomb that Gives any Brow a horny Coronet Orders some famous Beauty every hour His Letters Patents to be call'd a Whore Deserv'd or not he does it all by Power Thus like a Beau and Bully o' the Town He by debauching Beauties gets Renown That is their Names for he enjoys not one Thus was our Poet by his Muse drawn in 'T is true she always innocent has been Kept Shop like a good creditable Cit But traded in damn'd never thriving Wit. Lawyers have Fees howe'r their Causes go And Parsons with lean Sermons fat can grow Of Lawyers your undoing you must buy And Doctors will not cheaply let you dye The vilest Quack by ignorance can get More than the best of Poets by his Wit. Then you may ask Why will the Poet Write He says his Genius bids and Hours invite No lumbring business in his way is laid His Life 's a private and a vacant Shade And with design both to instruct and please He plants the Walks with various Images And humbly prays you if with Art he writes You 'l not take pains to damn your own Delights Nay do not damn him much if he writes ill For then he writes like you that is Gentile DARIUS King of PERSIA ACT I. SCENE The Field Trumpets Sound Enter Artabasus Bessus Nabarzanes Memnon Patron Dataphernes Persians Bactrians Greeks Ar. SO now my Lords the dreadful day is near That will for ever ruin or confirm The greatest Throne that ever the Sun saw To Morrow oh to Morrow thou art big With vast events time never produc'd the like At Granicus we had not half our strength But in this Army is all Persia Be. I think my Lord we are effective Men Seven hundred thousand Ar. Ay and more my Lord. Na. Yet of all these my Lord you and I lead Scarce Fifteen thousand Aside to Be. Be. Silence Ar. We have left Our Cities Towns and Fields all desolate That one wou'd think the Conqueror had been there The Valleys bend beneath us the Hills groan The Fields nay all the Heavens seem to stretch And give us room and we have room to Fight We are not here at the Cilician Streights Where we were pris'ners e're the Fight begun Penn'd in with Mountains that clipp'd both our wings And squeez'd our Bodies close till it became As weak and slender as the Enemy The King has done his Duty furnish'd all This multitude with Arms and Ground to fight And his own Glorious example too Let us do ours but dare be Conquerors We shall be so we must be so or Ghosts Or worse poor wretched Slaves our Liberties Our Fortunes Wives and Children are all here Lord Bessus is not your fair Princess here The King 's late beauteous Gift Be. She is my Lord. Ar. Wou'd you not rather see that Beauty dead Than given up to Macedonian Lust Be. She shall be rather by my Sword enioy'd Ar. And here I see your Son a Noble Youth Me. Oh! my good Lord. Ar. Lord Memnon give me leave I think Lord Bessus I have heard you say An Amazonian Queens warlike Embrace Presented you this Gift Be. 'T is true my Lord. Ar. Believe it 'T was a bounty to the World. Me. Nay now my Lord. Ar. Nay pray let me be just Who wou'd not grieve to see this worth in chains And yet now I reflect more worth than his Ay or than half our Kingdom is in chains Even half our King
my jealousie It was th' excess and frenzy of my Love. Now you great Gods Protectors of my Throne I first implore your Favour to my Right Restore the Throne to me the lawful Lord. But if your powerful mysterious Wills For ever have excluded me and mine Oh! give this Great and Glorious Monarchy To this so Brave so Just and Glorious Prince I humbly beg it for my Peoples sake How happy will they be under a Prince Whose Virtues make Captivity a Joy Now call the General to me and the rest Enter Ar. Be. Na. Me. Pa. Dat. I like not the beginning o'th is day 'T is a dark Morning for my Light 's eclips'd Gone down and I shall never see her more I wou'd redeem my Children save their right And give Renown and Victory to my Friends To all my People Peace and Happiness I care not then how soon I 'm with my Queen Ar. The King is sad and pensive Pa. Yes I see 't With no small trouble for it bodes no good Da. Come to our work the Enemy draws on And 't is a shame so few shou'd challenge us Be. Nay he is rash and puts great confidence In light uncertain Fortune who is soon Tir'd with her Favourites soonest of all With Prodigals like him She has no fund Of bottomless successes to maintain A mad eternity of rash attempts Da. Forbeare and do not rudely touch his Name Who with such gentleness treats all my Friends Revile him not subdue him if you can Let 's fight him well for that he 'l give us thanks Now by our Persian Tutelary Gods By the Eternal Fire before us born By the Sun's splendor rising in My Realms And even a Sacred Glorious Native here By Cyrus's immortal memory By your own Honours I conjure you all Transmit the Persian Glory you receiv'd From your brave Ancestors to your own Race Do as you see me do I 'l ask no more If I be mounted on a Chariot Above you all 't is to be seen of all By my example to instruct you all Seek not one danger you see me decline Nor let one Bosome have more wounds than mine Exit All go off A noise of a Battle Enter Bessus and Dataphernes Be. Pursue pursue improve our good success The day 's our own the great Parmâ—nio Greatest of Macedonians gives ground Pursue and we are Masters of their Camp And then their Baggage and their Souls are ours For in their Baggage lies the greedy Souls Of these poor Thieves they only fight for Gold. â—ut we for Glory and Dominion Dat. My Lord when we are Masters of their Camp We 'l free our pris'ners we have thousands there Who Free and Arm'd will fall on th' Enemy With fury whetted on their iron Chains Sharp for Revenge Be. 'T is well advis'd fall on Exit A noise of Fighting Pris'ners run over the Stage shaking of their Chains and shouting Enter Bessus and Nabarzanes at several doors Be. The news the news my Lord Na. Undone undone Be. What say you Undone Na. By the King's Gallantry Be. His Gallanty's no news we know him brave Where did you leave him Na. Fighting hand to hand With Alexander Be. Ha! a Glory indeed And to be coveted above a Crown Oh! Gods shou'd Alexander fall by him Na. I fear'd it and drew off upon pretence To Wheel and Charge the Enemy i th' rear Indeed to leave him to his Persian Cowards A howl A great Howl and Cry is heard Enter Artabasus Ar. All 's lost my Lords the King is kill'd Na Ha! the King killâ—d my Lord Be. Nay then all 's won aside The Kingdom 's ours Ha! I forget my self The Gods forbid How do you know my Lord Ar. I was inform'd by those that saw him fall Did you not hear an universal howl Na. We did and thought it came from dying Men. Ar. Nay I believe by this time they are dead For with the King the Hearts of thousands sunk And our despairing Men no longer fought For Victory but death and had their wish For thousands dye and by a thousand ways Na. Then by survivorship the World 's our own aside Ar. Away and carry off if possible The Royal Body for our Honours sake For our dear fallen King and Countries sake 'T is all the service we can do 'em now Na. Here 's brave Lord Patron Enter Patron Ar. We will beg his aid My Lord my Lord our gallant King is kill'd Pa. 'T is false Be. How false Na I 'm sorry to hear that aside Pa. 'T was nothing but his Charioteer that fell Ar. Oh! then that fatal error ruin'd us Pa. No your Mens cowardize has ruin'd you Ar. Methinks I have some hopes if the King lives Pa. Of what For though the gallant King 's alive He 's almost the sole Persian that has life Or has had any since the day begun Before a stroke was struck the Cowards died Stabb'd by the glittering of th' Enemies Steel The Macedonians had no more to do But to inter the Dead throw dirt to dirt I mean heap Carcasses on Carcasses A very pious work And for my part I think 't is Sacriledge to hinder ' em So I am going for I find we come Not to a Battle but a Funeral Ar. You 'l not desert the King whilst he 's i th' Field Pa. He 's fled I forc'd him to 't I was inform'd He rush'd with too much bravery into th' Heart Of the Enemies to tear away the life I mean the valiant Macedonian King I fearing much his danger not alone From his brave Enemies but his base Friends March'd to his aid And found him as I fear'd Left by his Men and fighting not alone With Alexander but all Macedon All the King's Fire warm'd not his heartless Men But scar'd 'em for they fled like Ghosts from Day The Enemies Trumpets blew 'em all away No doubt they wou'd have fled had the Cocks crowed As they say guilty timorous Spirits do I interpos'd between the two brave Kings And made the Macedonian retreat Then shew'd the King his frightful Solitude How all his Persian Guards lay in himself And his sole safety in a quick retreat Else he wou'd fall into the Enemies hands Then in despair and rage he bent his Sword Against his own brave life I held his hand And with kind violence forc'd him to fly And I am told he 's towards Arbela gone I 'll follow him I will not kill brave Men To defend Cowards who deserve not life Exit Ar. Persia thy Glory 's lost Exit Na. But ours begins Be. It does and Patron lyed the King 's not fleâ— Darius is indeed but the King 's dead Here fallen lye his Empire and our Chains Now a fresh stronger hand shall take the Reins Exit ACT II. SCENE A Room in the Palace at Arbela Enter Artabasus Dataphernes Ar. LOrd Bessus with his Bactrian Horse in Town Dat. Just come my Lord. Lord Nabarzanes too With his bold Scythiads are not far behind Ar. This is reviving news the King has now Considerable strength see my
Lord 's here Enter Bessus Barzana Oronte Oh! my Lord Bessus welcome from the Grave For the devouring Fields you left behind Are but one Grave of many miles extent Be. 'T is true where half the Kingdom lies interr'd Where is the King my Lord Ar. I do not know I mean the Glorious King you saw to day March to the Field with pomp that made the day It had more light from him than from the Sun. Here 's a despairing and deserted Prince That came to Town a private Charioteer And has not only lost Dominion Over great Nations but his Royal Self His Passions rule which they ne'r did before And rule so ill the gallant Enemy Wou'd I 'm sure treat him with more gentleness Be. No wonder he has had a heavy blow Ar. What Lady have you there Be. My Wife my Lord. Ar. Oh! Madam I 'm in doubt if I may say I 'm glad your life is safe for I believe 'T is better to be dead than as we are Be. Not so my Lord we may recover all I find great numbers of brave Men in Town The King has yet great Provinces entire And chiefly Bactria where I command There are a thousand Towns well fortified Where the proud Conquerors Fortune may be lost As in a Labyrinth with a thousand doors And the King scape and re-ascend his Throne Therefore he need not much submit to grief Ar. Alas He grieves not only for himself But all his suffering Friends for you and me The griefs and losses of his faithful Slaves Are all of ours that he wou'd ever share Other Proprieties he 'd never touch Though he be Lord of all but wou'd neglect All Right but what he has in his Friends tears Those he too carefully collects himself Now in the midst of his great Monarchy He 's all alone as in a Wilderness I 'le go to him and when I can have leave To speak to him I 'le tell him you are come 'T will greatly comfort him he loves you much Be. The Gods preserve him Ar. Madam your sweet Youth Ex. May live to better days Heaven grant you may Be. Madam your Beauty may make better days At least with me let Fortune do her worst Wou'd it please you But Sorrow pleases you More than my Love and ever has done so Since first you saw my Face How Saw my Face I do not know you ever look'd on me Your Eyes are turn'd away or veil'd in tears Madam this cannot easily be born I am less safe with you than among all The Macedonian Swords I 've scap'd from them Yet dye with torments in Barzana's Arms. I am resolv'd I will find out the cause Ba. Alas I fear he will discover me aside One whispers Dat. Dat. My Lord my Lord I 've joyful news for you Your belov'd Son Lord Memnon is come safe Barzana starts Ba. Lord Memnon ha aside My Lord I beg your leave I may retire I 'm weary and not well Be. Madam I wish you may have more repose Than you can find in me Ba. Nay Why my Lord Will you be cruel to your Self and Me I pray forbear if you desire my life Be. More than my own I 've done all health to you Ex. Ba. Oron. at one Door At another Enter Mem. Well I will trace her Sorrows to their Spring So Here 's another joy Welcome young Man Come to my Arms for you deserve my Love. Y 'ave done me in the Field no little Grace It wou'd be strange if thou should'st not be brave Thy Mother had more Manhood than our Men. Well thou art come into a ruin'd World Where thy great Virtue will have no reward Me. My Lord I am rewarded in your Love. Our Honour and our Friends is wealth enough Be. 'T is true indeed there is great wealth in Love. Oh! Son I 've Married so much Excellence Me. So I am told my Lord. Be. Do not admire I never â—rought thee yet into her sight I durst not do it for to produce thee Had been too bold a boast of my past Love To thy fair Mother to affront my Wife And I wou'd not offend her for the World. Me. My Lord You need not make excuse for this You but observe the custom o' the place 'T is thought a horrid profanation To Persian Beauties to be visible They are conceal'd like Divine Mysteries A Sister does not see a Brother here Be. True and I prithee come not in her sight I brought her from the Battle She 's in Town Me. How shall I shun her For I know her not Be. Do not approach this Palace here She 's lodg'd With other Beauties that escap'd the Fight Me. I shall observe your pleasure carefully Be. Now go thy ways here is another Friend Exit Me. And Enter Nabarzanes Na. Lord Bessus I am glad to see you safe Be. I doubt we are not safe the King is strong Na. In what Be. In Persians Na. Strong in Persians They can be strong in nothing but Perfumes They have no Spirits but from Essences Be. They 'r above thirty thousand Na. Say they be Be. Danger breeds Valour They who poorly fell Were Embrio's and miscarriages of War. But Danger has gone out her time with these Then he has Patron and four thousand Greeks Na. They I confess give the King's Sword an edge Be. And I have scarce four thousand Bactrian Horse Na. True and my Scythian Archers are no more Be. And then he has a Guard which all Slaves fear Religious awe of Kingly Majesty Na. When other Forces fly that never stays That Kings have the Militia on Earth Is fit shou'd they have that of Heaven too Vain Panique fears and Superstitions I 'l suffer none to List among my Troops Be. He has one Guard I fear that 's Misery It somthing touches me but that 's not all I 've an insatiable and burning Love For Glory and to fall on a fallen King Will much deface the Beauty of my Fame Na. We 'l serve the King save him from misery Fortune declares her Self his Enemy And we will lay him safe out of her way He shall enjoy the ease and pomp of Power And we 'l endure the danger and the toil Be. Ha! 't is well thought The King will yield to this Na. We 'l make it our request Be. Do I agree Na. Where is he now Be. He is shut in with Grief And Artahasus the Old General Na. Let us prepare our Friends and watch our time Be. Do 't is a brave design to save one King And beat another save a ruin'd King And beat his Conqueror then save the World From both by Liberty it will be great It will be Glorious we shall be ador'd Na. There will be cause while Glorious Murderers Destroy mankind to form a Tyranny We 'l destroy Tyranny to form Mankind Be. 'T is true how Cruel is it and unjust Whole Nations shou'd in Sorrow Live
and Die That one great Lyon may his Lust enjoy Exeunt SCENE is drawn Darius is set Musing and Sad Artabasus attending Da. Oh! Why was Alexander born for me To make my Crown a Misery to me Which I have made a Happiness to all Tyrants who spar'd not Heaven and Earth were spar'd How can Man find what way is to walk If Fortune will thus blindly plough up all Ar. Come Sir I pray do not afflict your self You gave your pleasure bounds limit your grief And you who ne'er broke Law nor injur'd Man Do not break reasons law in your own wrong Da. I 'd know my Crimes that have deserv'd all this Ar. I know of none Da. Nay prithee flatter not Ar. Oh! Sir was ever I a Flatterer Da. Never till now Ar. And this is an ill time In your Calamity and my great Age. For what can you bestow or I receive I 've reach'd a Hundred years now wanting Five My Love to Honour Conscience and my King Are all the Appetites I have to please Da. Oh! Why have I all sorts of Miseries Ar. Those happen to you as you are a Man. For what is a Man A Congregation Of disagreeing things His place of Birth A confus'd crowd of fighting Elements To nothing fixt but to Eternal change They wou'd all lose their Natures shou'd they fix Da. Why say they did were they not better lost Than kept at such Expence what does poor Man Pay for vain Life Ar. What 's matter what he pays Gods did not make this World only for Man. He 's but a parcel o' the Universe A fellow Servant with the meanest thing To carry on the Service o' the whole And pleasure o' the Gods the Lords of all Da. Can human Sorrows be delights to Gods Ar. Our Sorrows are not but our Troubles may A Great Man vanquishing his destiny Is a great Spectacle worthy of Gods. Da. Give me thy Hand years have not gone by thee Like empty idle Vagrants but like Kings And given thee Riches to relieve a King. Enter an Eunuch Eu. Lord Bessus Nabarzanes Da. Are they here Eu. They have been waiting for access some time Lord Memnon Patron too Da. Bring 'em all in Enter Bessus Nabarzanes Memnon Patron Dataphernes several Bactrians Da. Oh! Welcome my brave Friends come to my Arms I 'm joy'd to see your safety and your Love Follow me now You are true Friends indeed I will complain of Misery no more For I perceive it is the great Art of Heaven To give us better taste of what we have A Friend was ne'r so sweet to me before 'T is hard in prosp'rous Fortune to know Friends Now I am certain you attend on me This is to me my first apparent Court. Though I 've not fought I 've lov'd with great success There is no State in which the bounteous Gods Have not plac'd Joy if Men wou'd seek it out Well Sirs What news How many have we lost Be. Above four hundred thousand Sir 't is said Da. Oh! my amazing merciless destiny Be. 'T was not a Battle but a Massacre Na. Oh! Sir I wish your Sorrows might end here But though they 'r heavy as the heart of Man Has strength to bear I must enlarge 'em yet Your great Lievtenants Sir and Governors Have flung up all their Towns and Provinces Mithrenes has resign'd Armenia False Mazeus the once Glorious Babylon The Governor of Damas with the Town Betray'd the Kingdom For Sir in that Town You had lodg'd Wealth enough to regain all Da. Two hundred thousand Talents in coin'd Gold. In Silver twice the sum with Diamonds And Jewels of inestimable price Be. Alas This was not all the Riches Sir. Your Princes and great Lords had as they thought There secur'd all the Beauty o' the East I mean their lovely Wives and Daughters Sir. And this inhuman Coward betraid 'em all That Wives of Princes serv'd the Lusts of Slaves And poorest wretches shone in Robes of Kings Such Scorn did Fortune throw on this World's Pride Da. Oh! my immense boundless Calamities Though Iv'e so many thousands lost in Fight I must lament that I have lost no more Better my Cities mount to Heaven in Fire Thank sink by Cowardly villany to Hell. And they 'r preferr'd who meet with Noble Death Above the Villains who by Treason Reign Me. A little Joy were seasonable now And I've a little for you Sir. Da. Ha! Joy Me. The Coward of Damas fled to Babylon And with his Brother Villain Mazeus went To meet the Enemy with triumphant pomp As if the conquest of their Honesties Had been most Honourable Victories I heard it wou'd be so took some brave friends And slew 'em both before the Conqueror's Face Then brought their Heads away and there they are Da. Oh! brave young Man Now I 'm subdued by thee I 've nothing to reward thy Gallantry So thou hast made a Vassal of thy King. I 'm overcome by Enemies and Friends Good Gods for all my Losses Suff'rings Wrongs Favour my gallant Friends I 'll ask no more Ar. Oh! exc'llent Prince Will the Gods leave a Prince To whom they give such pledges of their Love I mean such God-like Virtue 's and brave Friends Da. 'T is true can I despair and have such Friends By you I 'm still a Great and Glorious King Able to fight with Alexander yet And by the Gods I 'le do 't I thought on slight The vile Decree with horror I revoke Shall I fear any thing while I have you And I am sure there is not in the World A danger you wou'd shun like shameful flight And shall I lead you on to Infamy No I will shew I deserve Men so brave I will march back and fight the Enemy One blow may scatter all his Victories They 'r lumber pil'd disorderly in haste Pa. Oh! Fortune in this Monarch see thy faults aside And frailties he 'l be great in spite o' thee Da. What means this silence in you all my Lords If you have fear I 'm sure it is for me Be. Ay so it is Great Sir. Da. So I believe But is there any thing to fear like Shame And shall I shamefully desert my Self In my own Empire be a banish'd Man Or like my Traitors to the Conqueror creep To be a petty Lord of some poor Town And there in safty lock my little Heart I charge you kill me when I e're devise Such infamous destruction for your King. No I will be a King or not at all My Life and Reign shall have one period But if your Resolutions be like mine We will yet give our Sorrows a brave end Justice is for us so may Fortune be I 'm a bright proof of her inconstancy But if no God will lend us any aid Let us be Gods and Fortune to our Selves And signalize our Selves by such a Fight May shew at least we deserve better fates All silent still Ar. Sir you exceed us all As much in Spirit as in Dignity What Soul
King pardons me Sure you may do 't Me. Oh! is the King so good And after that can you forgive your self Be. Ha done Me. I shall but let me do you first What Services I can and set you free From all Temptations you may have from me Perhaps you think a Crown may delight me Oh! I wou'd rather have my Head be cleft In my King's Service than by Treason Crown'd Let but my Sword command the spots of Earth On which I fight to Guard his Crown and Life And Nobler Fortune I will ne're desire The Gods be prais'd there I have Lordships yet And let us all preserve our Loyalty Then our true Glory lives though our Pomp dies For that is Vanity now I have done I 'le make but one Request then take my leave Be. What 's that Me. To chuse the place of my Exile Be. Where 's that Me. In the Fair Arms of one I Love. Be. And who is she Me. I know not wou'd I did It was my Fate at the Cilician Streights To give her Liberty and lose my own Be. Didst thou make no enquiry of her Name Me. I found her grac'd with all perfections And these I think are Names enow for one They took up all my thoughts and all my time Which was not much for soon we were pursu'd I was compell'd to face the Enemy I had the honour of the Victory But lost the best Reward the sight of her For she was fled away and from that hour I saw her not till now Be. Where saw you her Me. Here in this Palace Be. Here my Wife lives here Aside When did you see her Me. Not a minute past Be. Oh! how I tremble this must be my wife Aside Was no one with her Me. Yes your self my Lord. Be. Infernal horrours Me. Ha! he is disturb'd Aside Be. Oh! he has stab'd me sleeping in my Bed And waken'd me in Hell. Past all dispute Her secret sorrow is a Love for him I 've been solliciting for my own shame 'T is so t is so my Son has whor'd my Wife H 'as whor'd her in her Soul and that 's enough I 'le rip him up and carry her his Heart Hold he is Innocent and she may be Shall I skin o're my Wound with that may be And probe no farther no 't will fester then Oh! better see her once in the foul Act And so conclude my Torment and her Sin Than see her hourly sinning in my thoughts Me. My Lord I fear I love not as I shou'd For I perceive it discomposes you Though you in tenderness conceal my fault Pray let me know it I will freely part With all the Joys I have to pleasure you Be. Oh! noble Youth sure I am safe from him Aside But not from my own thoughts I cannot bear Thorns in my Bed if I have torment there Where shall I rest no I must search it well No Son I only doubt your good success Had you any Encouragement Me. I thought I had Be. 'T is done th' Adultery's finish'd o' her part Aside So is her Life Memnon you have my leave To make this Beauty yours be who she will. Me. My Lord I never can requite this Love Because you fight against your self for me For I see great contention in your thoughts Be. 'T is over now go in you 'l find her there Ex. Me. Oh! Memnon now I wish thy Vertue strong For if you mingle Smiles you mingle Blood. As Bessus is stealing after Memnon Nabarzanes enters Na. My Lord my Lord Be. Whos 's that I 'm employ'd Na. I 've Business for you that concerns your Life Be. I 'm busied in concerns above my Life Na. Well let 'em be of more Concern than Heaven You shall abandon'em and go with me Patron the Greek has been among our Troops Discover'd our designs and told the King. Be. Wou'd Patron were in Hell. Na. He shall be worse For head you Troops he shall be in our Power Be. I 'le come immediately Na. Immediately What Business have you here but with your Wife Do you prefer a Kiss above a Crown And all the Lives and Fortunes of your Freinds Then I believe Patron had this from you And you have sold us all Be. Who I Na. Yes you Your Wife and You the Cause and the World Sink I 'le save my self Farewel Be. Hold hold I go Oh! you have wrong'd me Na. Shew it in the Field Be. I will but I shall perish go or stay Stay and the Hangman's Sword falls on my head Go my Wife 's Whor'd aside oh cursed troubled World Where nothing without Sorrow can be had And 't is not easy to be Good or Bad. For Horrour attends Evil Sorrow Good Vice Plagues the Mind and Vertue Flesh and Blood. Ex. ACT IV. SCENE The Field Enter Darius Artabasus Patron Guards Ar. OH have I sav'd Villains to kill my King Da. No more no more I know thy honest thoughts Oh! my dear Children now a long farewell To all my Glory now a long farewel Nay oh my Fate I must for ruine fight Cyrus and Alexander did not shew More Courage to be Lords o' the whole World Than I must do to have no share in it For if these Villains Perish by my Sword I cut off all the Army that I have And I the once Great Monarch of the World Shall want a Cave where I may hide my head But Justice will be best for all Mankind I 'le shew that I deserve the World I lose Pa. I must entreat your leave for one word more Alas I sooner shall have leave from you Than from my self for every word I speak That grieves your heart stabs mine yet I must speak There 's scarce a faithful man in all your Camp. Da. What dost thou say are all the Persians false Pa. They are as true to you as to themselves But as in danger they have always done So they do now forsake you and themselves Da. Ha! do they joyn the Traytors Pa. Oh! Sir no. They joyn with nothing but confounding fear And that they meet with wherefoe're they go Terrours beset ' em Alexander comes And here the Traytors boldly threaten ' em They who had any Life in 'em are fled And they that stay are held by Cowardise They have not Soul enough even for flight Ar. He has told Truth which I was loath to speak We may as well force men into a Camp From Sick and Dying as from wanton Beds From Plagues as Luxury a flattering Pest Da. Oh! Alexander where wou'd be thy Fame Hadst thou my Army well may'st thou subdue Kingdoms by Men who merit to be Kings For mine do not deserve the name of men Pa. Sir one word more and then I shall have done Not far from hence I have four thousand Greeks We march'd to Persia fifty thousand men Did ever Greek forsake you but by Death Alas Sir now we cannot if we wou'd For in your Service we have fought our selves Out of our
yet live to punish you And lash your Crimes with Crimes your cowardly Dissimulation hellish Cruelty Ingratitude more horrid than 'em both By the most Barbarous Murder of your King. Be. Sir in this noise and storm of Passion It is in vain to utter peaceful sounds But time that removes Mountains calms the Sea Will Calm and clear up all and you who think You have receiv'd unpardonable wrong Will ask us pardon for the wrong done us Da. Oh! insolence Na. Sir you will find this Truth Mean while we must go on in this foul way To find the Fair there Guards secure the King. Da. D' e say secure me and yet call me King Oh! rise in my Revenge and Aid all Kings This is your common Cause I am a King. Rise all Mankind for all Humanity Is by these Villains scorn'd disgrac'd and curst By what they do to me their most kind Friend Nay rise all Gods your Power suffers in me Your Minister and a deputed God! Your Justice suffers I am Innocent Be. Well Sir we pray then spare the Innocent Beat not your self against that Loyal force Which we have built to fortifie your Life Na. Yes Sir we mean your Service and we pray Force us on no indecent Violence We 'll treat you Honourably if you please Da. Monsters of Treachery and Ingratitude The King is led out by a Guard. Be. Ho! Dataphernes Dat. I am here my Lord. Be. I trust the King to you upon your Life Keep a strong Guard. Na. That will not be enough Let him be chain'd Be. It is not ill advis'd But for the honour that we bear our selves Let 's honourably treat his Dignity Since we our selves design to be both Kings Then let us beat Gold Ingots into Chains 'T will give a Lustre to our black attempt Aside to Nabarzanes Na. Th' attempt may appear black our ends are Fair. Be. 'T is true Sirs you shall have an Inheritance In manly Freedom your Posterity Shall all be born with Titles to themselves Now my brave Friends plunder the Royal Tents Guards shout Then let us face the Greeks and Persians And see what they will do Na. What dare they do Destroy the King for if they stir he dies Be. 'T is true but if they will our Power obey We 'll do such things shall give us right to sway The right that only does from Birth proceed In my Esteem springs from a Bastard Breed But Vertue is the Offspring of a God Vertue alone Legitimates the Blood. Ex. SCENE The Palace Enter Barzana and Oronte Ba. How Chain his King oh execrable Wretch Now I perceive whence springs my horrid Love. 'T is an unnatural fire rain'd down from Heaven To burn a bloudy Traytour in his Bed. I wonder not it never cou'd be quench'd I fasted wept and pray'd yet found no cure No safety even at the Altars of the Gods Love seiz'd me there and very well it might It has it seems Commission from the Gods. Or. Madam no doubt you have conjectur'd right A dreadful storm hangs over your Lord's Head So you the part most tender feel it first For else I know you cou'd controul your Love. But oh it is no more within your Power Than the day is for the same reason too 'T is hurry'd on by Heaven Ba. I 'm apt to think All Love is Fate the Will and Choice of Heaven Compelling ours But Fate to conquer me Has in brave Memnon gather'd for its aid All the Perfections that can be in man. Now who can stand under so great a force 'T is true I know my Temper is so firm Not all the Love and Excellence on Earth Can ever melt me down to one loose thought But yet the pain and sorrow of my Love Will throw me into the Grave Or. No Madam no Your Love will wear away by length of time Ba. Oh never Memnon's Charms are Powers Divine To punish the ill Father by the Son And I must love whilst Heavens anger lasts For ought I know to all Eternity Knocking Knocking I 'm overheard Oronte runs to the door Or. Lord Memnon's here Ba. Undone undone Thou hast betray'd betray'd me Or. No indeed Ba. Thou hast thou false thou wicked cruel wretch Not Heaven it self can make me happy now Except by falling on my cursed head Fall on me Heaven sink beneath me Earth Any thing swallow me but Infamy But I will stop its course cost what it will. Who is there Enter a Woman Wo. Madam Ba. Run and call your Lord. Or. Hold Madam hold oh do not take our Lives Before you know our Guilt Ba. Is it not plain Can he have innocent Affairs with me Th' address alone is highly Criminal It wou'd undo my Honour were it known Do Persian Ladies that regard their Fame Hold any secret Entercourse with Men No no he comes to do his Father wrong And has it seems a secret hope I 'le yield Whence cou'd he have this hope but from thy self Thou hast half cur'd my heart I hate you both And I 'm resolv'd his Father shall know all Or. Oh! Madam hold indeed I 'm innocent Ba. What brings him hither then Or. I do not know Yet now I call to mind perhaps my Lord Has cast him off in compliment to you He said he wou'd and now Lord Memnon's come To beg your Intercession Ba. That may be It is well thought I 'm griev'd I 've censur'd him Now I will see him but I am afraid I shall be all Confusion and let fall That port of Honour I wou'd fain maintain Reach me a Veil to guard my Eyes and Heart And cover my disorders what I can Now call him in She veils and seats her Or. brings in Memnon Or. Madam my Lord is here Ba. My Lord I 'm to your Valour so oblig'd I 'm in confusion with the sence of it I am now discompos'd and cannot give Your Visit the Reception it deserves Pray if you have any Commands for me Express your will that I may know my own For I shall serve my self by serving you Me. Here 's more Encouragement Good Gods be prais'd Aside Madam when Fortune Heavens how I shake Aside When Fortune gave me pray be not displeas'd The Glory Kings wou'd purchase with their Crowns To save your Honour Liberty and Life She blest the Universe but ruin'd me By hopeless Love for you Ba. Oh! thou false Wretch Ba. rises in Anger and flings off her Veil Nay stir not trust my Mercy you had best To Or. My Lord I thought not to hear this from you So fam'd for every Vertue as you are I sooner shou'd have fear'd the fall of Heaven That I shall look for now nothing is strange And better Heaven fall than Innocence Therefore be gone and think of me no more Or else I will acquaint your Father all Me. Madam 't is done already e're I came I told him all and had his free consent Ba. Oh! horrour now 't is worse than I believ'd Aside This
way And tells me she and I must never part Ba. Where is the Chariot Or. At the Garden gate Ba. Come then away Oh! Heavens Memnon here Turn from him quickly Me. Hold dear Madam hold Ba. My Lord what mean you thirst you for my Blood Me. Oh! Madam do not entertain those fears Ba. Do not you entertain false dangerous hopes Your Father has this minute left the Field Me. But not his Love to me Ba. You 'l find him quit His Love to you and all Humanity If he shou'd catch you seeking Leagues with me I fear he 's at the Palace Window now Oh! if he be this minute is our last Me. These are vain terrours oh wou'd he were here This Minute were the last of all our Griefs But oh the first of our Immortal Joys And something in me says it will be so Methinks I have a sight of Paradise Ba. Oh! you speak Oracles methinks in you A voice from Heaven has Prophesied our death The Pangs of Death already seize my Heart I tremble swear and I 've scarce Breath to speak Know there is yet another stronger Cause Than any I have nam'd why we must part Me. Another Cause Ba. Oh! do not enquire what If you take any joy in loving me For when I 've told you you must love no more If you have any tenderness for me When I have told you I shall speak no more The secret will tear out my heart Oh! fly If you would love or live or have me live Me. Y 'ave stunn'd me so I have no strength to stir Ba. Oh! he will loyter till his Father comes The Gods will bate my Passion no disgrace Know I 'm a Wife nay more your Father's Wife He faints he faints Now shou'd his Father come And find him in my Arms. Me. faints Ba. runs to him and supports him Or. Madam he 's come Ba. Oh! horrour we are lost my Lord my Lord. Enter Bessus who seeing Me. in Barzana's Arms draws Me. recovers Barzana runs to hold Bessus Be. Oh! Villain Ba. Oh! my Lord Be. Oh! Impudent And foolish Whore wilt thou proclaim thy shame And murder him thou hast a mind to save Had he a thousand lives now he shou'd dye Ba. Oh! hear me first Be. Hear thee encrease thy sins By falsehood is not Incest Crime enough I saw you from the Palace meet Caress And is not this your second meeting ha I will provide for you a third meeting place In Death and Hell thou frightful Monster dye wounds Me. who falls Ba. Unnatural Parricide dire Regicide Be. The fitter match for an incestuous Wife Me. My Lord you wrong us we are innocent I lov'd but knew her not she banish'd me I was now going to obey her doom When Heaven contriv'd this Meeting for our Death We sought it not for ever to prevent All future Meetings she reveal'd her self Then did I sink to Death under surprize And horrour for my faulty unfortunate Love Which is more trouble to me than this Death Oh! I had rather have a thousand Deaths Got by misfortune than your ill-got Crown Dyes Ba. Oh! he has told thee truth thou Murderer He was too excellent for all the Gods Thought him a God and took him to themselves And I will follow him yes I will do 't And we will revel to Eternity And it shall be the chiefest of our Joyes To be the chief of thy Eternal Plagues Be. A damp goes to my Heart I am afraid I 've been too rash I wish this were undone Come take her to my Chariot Ba. Touch me not The Gods be prais'd I 've found my Dagger now I 'le go another way Be. Sh 'as stab'd her self Call help I 'le have her live if possible Ba. I have help here Be. Horrour she tears her wound Hold hold her hands Ba. Then I will hold my Breath Be. Is this thy Vertue thou who canst commit This most unnatural sin against thy self Wou'dst not refuse thy self a sweeter Crime Ba. Indeed I 'm sorry for this sinful Death I wou'd shun Hell if only to shun thee Hell purg'd by Fire has less Offence than thou Be. Oh! thou art most ungrateful to my Love I have more Love for thee than words can speak Ba. I am glad of it then 't will be thy Plague And to encrease it know I 'm innocent So was thy Noble Son he sought my Love But knew me not for I conceal'd my self Cause he had found my secret Love for him And then I cou'd not shew my blushing face Be. You lov'd him then it seems Ba. That I confess I lov'd him but it was e're I was thine Since that I did subdue my self for thee Reveal'd my self and banish'd him for ever And he was taking his Eternal leave When thou oh Murderer tookst his Innocent Life Be. If this be true Ba. 'T is true they 're my last words All my past Life is evidence enough And so is that of thy most excellent Son. For had he any other fault but thee And I had less my Birth was Glorious Yet has my Life honour'd my Royal Birth And now I hope my Death will crown my Life It has some sin which you good Gods forgive Your Justice has had Honour by my fall Oh! honour now the Vertuous part o' me My Soul you know I never sin'd in will Only in Blood and that foul Blood I spill Dyes Be. Oh! horrour horrour Enter Nabarzanes Na. How now why this rage Be. Look there Na. Your belov'd Son and Wife in blood Amazing how came this Be. No matter how They 're dead and I am curs'd nay I am forc'd To curse the Vertues of my Son and Wife The Worlds great Blessings were my Miseries Na. I 'm glad o'th is they did divide your Soul And cut the Stream into small Rivulets It cou'd not bear the Burdens o' the State. Now 't will be all united in the Crown Enter Dataphernes Dat. My Lord the Enemy the Enemy Be. What Enemy Dat. The Macedonians And Alexander Be. Alexander ha Na. How do you know Dat. We had it from our Scouts But go upon the Mountains you may see The Spirit of that Monarch in his March. He wings along the Air in Clouds of Dust And does not march but fly Be. Bring out the King. Na. Ha! what to do Be. What else but take his Life I will not dye in Complement to him Spare him a Guard when we want men our selves I 've bath'd my Sinews in my Son 's hot Blood Now they are strong enough for any thing Na. Hold hold you are too hot let him alone If we shou'd barbarously Butcher him The Crime will have such a grim Gastly face The basest Persian Cowards will be scar'd Out of their Natures into something Brave Cowards oft by flying into Valour fly Our Friends will leave us and our Enemies Fly in our Faces Be. True what shall we do Na. Tempt him to yield Be. I know he scorns to do 't Na. We will
deceive him by seign'd Penitence Be. I do not find him easily deceiv'd Na. Let 's make a Trial if he 'll not be gain'd We 'll murder him unknown to any one Besides our selves and then give out he yields And what we do is by his own Command Be. 'T is well advis'd draw up our Troops with speed To Data And then give out the King and we are friends Ex. SCENE A Prison Enter King in Chains of Gold. Da. A King a Persian King chain'd by his Slaves The Slaves he once so favour'd and so lov'd Oh! the amazing Villanies of men And stupifying Patience o' the Gods The gracious Gods seem only infinite In suffering ill and man doing it Man therefore is most fear'd and most obey'd My Murderers come my griefs are near their end Enter Bessus and Nabarzanes Na. Now if these Chains weigh the Kings Spirit down To our desires we shall be legal Rogues Aside Be. What is it spirits me away to fear He 's in my Chains yet I am in his Power Na. I find it so with me I 've fought my way Through bravest men why am I scar'd by dreams Let 's kneel and speak to him Be. Well do you speak I am an ill Dissembler Na. Royal Sir Kneels We humbly beg you lend a gracious Ear To your poor Slaves by your hard Fortune thrown On th' only things we fear on infamy Your Anger and a seeming horrid Crime Though what we did was all in Loyalty Be. 'T is true we saw Fate quarrel with you Sir. And so we came between to part the fray Da. Oh! you poor Wretches how I pity you Cou'd you have fallen thus miserably in fight There you had been the Envy of the Brave Now y' are the scorn of all As to my self Y 'ave given me endless rest The greatest weight Hangs on these Chains is you ingratitude Oh! how have I deserv'd all this from you Be. You have deserv'd no ill and shall have none Ba. Indeed I do not know the man I 've wrong'd Bring him I 'le give him power to take my Life If I 've offended 't was against my self In all my Kingdom I was the sole Slave I toil'd the most and most observ'd the Laws The great Prerogative I most desir'd Was to be uncontroul'd in doing Good. If I gave fear it was to Potent Kings I was in danger most in Pleasure least My Luxury lay all in my Fair Queen My sole Intemperance was my Love to her My Love and Grief for her admit no bounds And oh how have I Lov'd and Favour'd you I gave you Kingdoms and with greater Joy Than you receiv'd 'em oh methoughts I gain'd What I gave you and these are my Rewards You murder me who wou'd have dy'd for you Alas It is your fault I am not dead Na. Indeed we mean you Good and do no more Than what Priests in Devotion do to Gods. Who fasten 'em from falling or flight We fear'd your flight to Mercenary Greeks Or falling into Macedonian Power And Sir to shew how much we honour you We have given shining Pomp to Misery Since 't is become a Waiter on our King. Be. And if you 'l pardon us and favour us We 'll make you greater than you ever were Da. I favour Treason I assume your Guilt I 'le rather bravely dye then basely Reign Indeed my Children are most dear to me But for that cause I will not taint their Blood And make the Children of a King become The Children of a Traytour to a King. I can and will be great without your help Yes in these Chains I 'le triumph over you I will Reign o're you when y 'ave murder'd me In my Grave punish you All Kings and Gods Will be the Ministers of my Revenge And execute what e're my Blood commands Na. We lose our time come strike Be. I will and home They wound Darius who falls Na. So this is a great work but common Spirits Ha' not reception for things great and high Let us not trust 'em with this spectacle Ho! Guard. Enter a Guard. Guard. My Lord. Na. The King has Kill'd himself We fear false Tongues will lay his Blood to us Therefore conceal his Death till the fight 's past As you regard your Lives In the mean while Cover the Body in a Waggon close That it may pass for Baggage drive it then Into some private place out of all Roads And kill the Horses lest they wander thence Guard carry out Darius Be. Now let us to the Field for there 's our Doom Our Innocence or Treason is to come It is success makes innocence a sin And there is nothing but a Sword between If th' end be glorious glorious is the way They alwaies have the Cause who have the day SCENE A Field A noise of a Battel After shouts Enter Artabazus Patron and Greeks dragging Bessus and Nabarzanes Pa. Oh! thank you for this Justice you good Gods. Ar. Go to King Alexander let him know The Gods have given the Traytors to our Swords Let us enjoy Revenge for our King's Blood And then he shall command our Swords and Lives Pa. Oh! that the King enjoy'd it where have you Conceal'd his Body you damn'd Regicides Enter Persians Per. My Lord my Lord the King Ar. What of the King Per. He 's found a Macedonian Officer By help of Persian Guides searching a Spring To quench his Thirst after the heat of fight He in the woods saw a poor Waggon stray Drawn by faint dying Horses stuck with Darts And looking in it found a dying man Gor'd in his Blood which prov'd to be our King. Ar. Horrour he lives let us away away That he may see Revenge before he dyes Pa. And we will weigh him out exact revenge Here chain and cut 'em as they did their King. Ex. The Scene is drawn a Waggon appears The Horses bloody and full of Darts some falling others fallen Polystratus and Persians support Darius who is Bloody and Faint Pol. Run run for help while we will bind his wounds Da. Ha! who art thou Pol. A Macedonian Sir. Da. My Enemy so kind Pol. A Gallant Man Fights out of Love to Duty and Renown And loves and honours a brave Enemy Da. What is thy name Pol. 'T is Polystratus Sir. Da. Brave Man more kind to me than my Friends are These were the Presents of my once dear Friends Bessus and Nabarzanes Pol. Hellish Dogs Da. 'T is no small comfort in my wretched State My grateful dying thoughts will not be lost Tell thy brave King I dye deep in his Debt I never once oblig'd him in the least And he has nobly treated all my Friends My Mother Brother Children my Fair Queen Granted their Lives and Royal Splendour too They scarce cou'd tell they were unfortunate When my near Kindred and once Bosome Friends Oh whom I Life and Kingdoms have bestow'd Have plunder'd me of all Oh! tell thy King I beg the Gods for Universal Good To make him
Monarch o' the Universe And for the common Cause of all Crown'd Heads I challenge the Revenge due to my Blood. Pol. Sir it will be reveng'd your Murderers Are in the hands of your most Faithful Slaves Da. I 'm glad on 't for the sake of all Mankind Pity the Sea has bounds if Sin has none Better men sunk in Sea than Villany I 'm faint and thirsty I but lately saw Some drinking at a Spring not far from hence A little Water wou'd refresh me much Pol. Sir it was I you shall have some with speed Pol. fetches the King water in his Helmet the King drinks Da. How vainly do we pity Poverty The Gods sit at the Table o' the Poor And turn their Water to delicious Wine Never had I in pompous Luxury Such Pleasure as this draught o'water yields But Fortune does pursue me to the last I 'm forc'd to beg even Water for my Thirst And though a King I cannot pay for it But Alexander will give me thy hand Prethee for me touch Alexander's hand The â—ole remaining Pledge I have to give For all my grateful Love to that brave Prince Dyes Pol. He 's gone he 's gone and it is well he 's so Oh! wretched Prince whose Happiness is Death Let 's bear the Sacred Body to our King For he will give it Royal Funerals Ex. Poly. and Persians with the Body Enter another way Artabazus Patron Persians Greeks with Bessus and Nabarzanes chain'd and wounded Per. Here is the Spring the King 's not far from hence Ar. Oh! no for see the ground all stain'd with Blood. And no doubt Royal Blood let us pursue The dreadful track 't will bring us to the King. Pa. 'T will bring these Villains to Damnation Enter a Persian 2 Per. My Lord I met the Macedonians With the King's Body and the King is dead Ar. Oh! Prince the best and yet most wrong'd of men What Joy and Glory did he not deserve And yet what Misery did he not endure And now deny'd the comfort of Revenge Pa. Perhaps he may enjoy it after Death Oh Royal Shade if yet thou be'st not fled To blest Abodes bear this detested place But while we entertain thee with Revenge Drink sweet Revenge till thy great sorrows Sleep Then thou and all good things fly hence for ever Here take these Monsters torture 'em to Death Ha! pleasing Harmony hear you it not Soft Musick Ar. Yes with great Admiration for methinks This is no time or place for such delight Pa. A Sence of the Kings Murder seems imprest On Beasts and Plants and every thing but those Who threw at once their King and Nature off Lyons come roaring from their Caves then dy'd The Cedars groan'd then fell Th' Earth deeply tore Her Bowels and then wept a bloody Spring Streight all the Plants and Flowers droop'd and dy'd They must be most unnatural Villains then That now find Pleasure but none such are near Enter a Persian Per. My Lord the Traytours are in Torments Dead The Scene is drawn and the Carcasses of Bessus and Nabarzanes are seen hung in Chains and stuck with Darts a Guard attending At another part o' the Stage is seen the Ghost of Darius brightly habited Pa. Oh! now I see the Cause of these Divine Miraculous Sounds I see the King the King More Lively than he ever was in 's Life More Pompous than in all his Royal Pomp. Ar. I see him and my Spirit rais'd with joy Ascends to meet him happy Vision Vertue triumphing over Villany Pa. The Royal Shadow smiles and points to 'em Ar. This is the difference 'tween the good and bad Death shews it truly Life is a false light But the true Diamond appears by Night Ex. The EPILOGUE spoke by her that acts Barzana OVR Poet fears he too much Blood has shed So I am come to shew I am not dead My Part will all the wanton Masks displease That 's half the Pit and all the Galleries Rather than take into my Breast a Fair And brave young Lover thrust a Dagger there You put your Bosomes to another use 'T is a vile Pagan Custome I produce Pagans may rather dye than be debauch'd Good Christians Sin to be well Kept and Coach'd Besides to kill my self for Love I fear Will to you Sparks improbable appear Who in side Boxes daily crowd and there Plant all your murdering shot against the Fair Four Teer of Beaus o're one another plac'd And each one hopes to kill a Box at least And yet with all this terrible design Sink not one Heart only the Playhouse Coyn. How you look down with scorn on a Pit Beau The Wretch into his Grave does living go The Lord may have some Mercy on his Ghost Bus as for his poor Body that 's quite lost Now our side Boxes are a Smithfield grown Where Town and Country Nags for Sale are shown Where any Lady may her humour fit With a tall Palfry or a little Tit. And yet I do not hear the Ladies buy Nay Sirs they towards you hardly cast an Eye The Ladies nobly pay the House their due Why shou'd they give four Shillings to see you Not all your Faces are worth half the Sum Get Flags and Trumpets and try who will come The Images of Virtue we have shewn We know will please you Hero's o' the Town And Heroines because they are your own In Gallant faithful Patron and my dear Lov'd Memnon you brave men of Arms appear The Ladies in Barzana see your Face Of their fair minds but in no flattering Glass All love to see themselves the foul will stare In Glasses though they meet with Goblings there But all the little hopping fluttering Sparks You catch with Glasses as you do the Larks Place a fair Glass directly in the eye Of a young Beau he never can pass by Young Souldiers discipline their Graces there Face to the right the left then as you were She combs first o're the right Shoulder then o're the left then sets her Cravat Strings We pray all daily to this Glass repair FINIS
's within the Brow Shou'd be the mark of Sovereign Dignity Be. How goes the night away Na. The Morning Star Long since gave Darkness warning to be gone Dat. See fee 't is gone the day possesses Heaven Be. Nay then 't is time we wait upon the King. Na. 'T is more than time no doubt he 's come abroad I see his Golden Chariot guild that Hill. Be. Then he is there viewing the Enemy Dat. Now all the shining Crowd descend this way Let us go pay our adorations Na. Our Adorations to a mortal Man ha ha Be. Now Gods aid us whoever you destroy These Kings but for one Man their Swords employ Each for himself has all his Force design'd We fight for you and for all your Mankind They wou'd be Sovereign Lords but I contend Only to be your Creatures Sovereign Friend Ex. All sorts of Martial Musique Enter Priests bearing Fire on Silver Altars Then a train of Officers in Golden Robes and Collâ—rs Then Darius followâ—d by Artabasus Bessus Nabaâ—zanes Memnon Patron The King surveys 'em and all prostrate themselves and kiss the ground Patron excepted who only bows Da. I gave command the ground where I expect The Enemies Horse to Charge shou'd be stuck full Of sharp and bearded Irons but with marks For us to know and shun ' em Is it done Ar. 'T is Mighty Sir. Dat. 'T is well I am inform'd Our rash fierce Enemies are become wise The sight of this vast dreadful multitude Has cool'd their boiling Blood. Be. Sir so we hear Mem. Sir 'T is no more than Truth and what I saw I was commanded with a thousand Horse To make discovery how the Enemy lay Fear was to them a multiplying Glass They believ'd all your Army was come down And cryed Darius Arm Darius here Your Royal Name alone half routed ' em Nay I was told even Alexander fear'd The dreadful Shouts of your vast multitudes Shook Forests Mountains and the Conqueror's Heart And gave us time to make a good retreat Pa. Nay if that Prince has Fear it comes from Heaven For Terror is not natural to him Da. 'T is true the Omen appears promising Enter Dataphernes Da. The Eunuch Tyriotes Royal Sir That lately did attend upon the Queen Has made escape out of the Enemies Camp And brings some mournful news Da. Ha! from my Queen Dat. His Eyes are drown'd in Tears and Garments torn Da. Nay then it is my turn to tremble now If ill but threatens her it destroys me Bring hither Tyriotes bring my death Be. Were it not better Sir defer the news And not begin the day Da. Dispute my Will Enter Tyriotes Come hither speak while I have sense to hear Silence is vain thy Garments and thy Eyes Plunge me into a thousand tort'ring fears Speak Do not spare me ' cause thou see'st me Grieve For I have learnt to be unfortunate And to the wretched 't is a little ease To know how far their Misery will extend Oh! I distrust one thing I hate to think Much more to speak Thou com'st to let me know She whom I prize above my Crown and Life Has in her miserable vassalage Receiv'd Indignities I cannot name Say ease my Torments stabb me with the Truth Ty. Oh! let not Sir vain fears afflict your Heart Your real cause of sorrow is too much But oh the generous Conqueror paid your Queen All Honours that a Slave cou'd give his Prince He rather did appear a slave to her But now She is no more your Queen is dead Ar. How the Queen dead Da. Martyr'd for Chastity T is so t is so She did oppose his Lust And he has murther'd her Barbarian What injuries have I done to thee and thine That thou shou'dst take this infamous revenge There 's no just reason for thy War on me But say 't is Glorious to subdue a King Can it be so to violate a Queen Cou'dst thou not spare her Beauty and her Sex Ty. Oh! Sir he did again y'afflict your self With Visions Shadows She receiv'd from him All kind and honourable usage Sir. Da. Ha! kind Ty. Yes Sir for when She dyed he wept You cannot more lament Da. Ha! This is worse There was a friendship grown between them then And he had Favours from her it was so Men lament not the death of Enemies I cannot bear the Thought Ty. Oh! hear me Sir. Da. I wou'd have privacy away be gone Ex. all but Da. and Ty. This is not sit for any Ears but mine No nor for mine for it will make me mad Ty. Oh! Sir indeed Da. Preparing to deceive Ty. No Sir Da. It will be folly have a care For now my Grief is height'ned into Rage My Tears are turn'd to Fire then do not lye By Lying thou wilt fool thy self not me For if I find thou dost conceal the Truth The Rack shall force it from thee Ty. I 'l speak Truth Da. Do thrust me not upon extremities For Cruelty and I never agreed In sparing thy own self thou wilt spare me I do conjure thee by the love thou bear'st Thy self or me deliver me the Truth Tell me oh Whither am I going now But must go on though the way lead to Hell. Tell me if Alexander fortunate Victorious young and brave did not attain What I 'm asham'd to ask and dread to know Ty. No Sir indeed Da. Lye not Ty. I will not Sir What should I gain by telling you untruth Da. Hopes of my Favour by soft flattery Ty. Sir here I freely offer up these Limbs To any torment that can be endur'd There 's strength enough in truth to bear e'm all And then I hope you will believe me Sir. Da. This is all cunning to avoid the Rack But that thou shalt not do ho bring the Rack Ty. With all my heart Da. So bold I like it well He cannot love my Ease more than his Flesh Bring torments on himself to soften mine Thou hast half won me to thee speak I 'm calm Ty. Then I appeal to all the Powers Divine Oh! now attest my Truth attest your selves If I deliver Fictions to the King You are all Fictions if you spare my Head. The virtuous Conqueror did treat the Queen With all the Honour Virtue and the pure Religion due to one so much Divine He never saw her beauteous Face but once And then to give her comfort for her loss Her Divine Beauties only tempted him To greater Virtue and he did not serve His Pleasure but his Glory by her charms He serv'd her Honourably in her life And when She dyed he mourn'd the publick loss And gave her Royal pompous Funerals Da. Oh! Alexander thou hast vanquish'd me Till now thy Fortune only conquer'd mine But now thy Virtues have subdued my Soul Have thrown me down into a weeping Slave I blush to shew my Face But all these Tears Must not be thine my Queen must share with thee Whose Honour I have wrong'd Oh! thou bright Shade Of my chaste Queen forgive