hatred of your Families Au. True if the cruel nature of my Father Who thirsts after his bloud would not oppose us But here he comes and as my fears foretel me To reprehend me on this very subject To them Hostilius and Macrinus Hos Macrinus when the Romans surfeited With Roman bloud think fit to stop the torrent You like a generous adversary will Advance the publick good Mac. 'T is my first wish Thus to express my gratitude to you Hos Farewel and where the laws of arms permit you Be civil to my party Now Sophonia Exit Macr. Your obligations to Macrinus are Cancell'd by this his liberty I give him Which though you do not I count forfeited Sop. I must eternally record this favour Hos Aurelia 't was you and your intreaty Exit Soph. I sought to gratifie herein I hope When I grant your request that you will mine Which is at present to cast off thoughts of love Especially of Florus an Usurper As in the State so in thy breast now enterd Where love must have no harbor I shall find Passions more noble to possess thy mind Au. Sir if external beauty joyn'd with virtue Force love in womans heart it is no wonder Florus finds entrance here Sir let these tears Soften that breast which the age war and custom Seem to have armed so against compassion When you reflect On loves predominancy over all things Can you imagin that the soft and tender Breast of a young and inexperienc'd Virgin Can resist him who under the white snow Of reverend gray-heads kindles his fires and with his flames extinguishes the light Of the maturest judgements Hos Love exercises His power only where he finds consent An. No April tree when her green season 's past Shoots not forth into blossoms nor no Virgin Her Spring time come feels not the heats of love However O my erring soul and thou My captiv'd heart and you my thus misplac'd Affections bear me witness if I us'd not To comply with my Father all my forces To free my mind from these tyrannick passions But O alas the more I sought to break These fetters I in them was more intangled This love which in my breast insensibly It self insinuating there grew up Without advise of reason can't be now By reason either govern'd or extinguisht Hos Audacious creature were I not what thou Seems't to deny here an indulgent Father Thou from these hands at present shouldst receive shews her his sword Chastisement proper to thy insolence Which now falls on thee mitigated onely Into admonishment thy error is Th' error of love which is excusable In younger age confined within limits Excusable but when a royal Princess Hurri'd from love to madness by her passion Disdains the curbs of reason and of honor And yields her self up to my greatest foe This is a crime severely to be punisht and should be were I not assur'd of thy Future amendment but in the mean time Gives her a bloody handkerchif Wipe off thy tears for Florus here with this Au. What ominous gift is this Hos It is a token She startles Dipt in thy Brother Lucius bloud with which The hands of Florus as yet hot and distilling Must thee embrace Au. Death shall embrace me first In her cold arms What mutiny is here One of my chiefest vital parts has me Depriv'd of th' other Oh my Brother slain And by the hands of Florus just when he Has signifi'd his flames reciprocal And great as mine O my accursed fate Why we were twins bedfollows in the womb Companions e're born together united Before with life inspired in his death I 've lost my better part and can't survive She falls into a swoun With what is left me Hos Aurelia nay Aurelia Recall thy self thy Father is yet living He strives to recover her Thy loving Father who to thee shall be A Brother Mother all things reassume Thy life and courage Au. I do and find my self She seems to come to her self In this short transe so chang'd that now I 'm sorry I have no pentitential moisture left To expiate those tears against my duty Cast away on the love of Florus but You 'll pardon this defect desire of my Revenge so agitates my heart and raiseth Such violent motions in my troubled fancy Transporting all my thoughts and faculties To her tyrannique will like some vast flame Which all occurring obstacles consuming Transformeth them at last into her self Rage choller fury ofsprings of hell increase And multiply here in this breast which freely I open to you casting out all thoughts Of virgin softness or remorse hereafter These fountains of my eyes be ever dry My hands and tongue audacious to commit Mischiefs to terrifie mankind my looks Dissembling treacherous and fatal be To those they please the powers of my soul Let my rage rule and nothing it controul Hos Aurelia now thou shew'st thou dost inherit As well as Mothers beauty Fathers spirit Magnanimous revenge not love's a guest Fit to be harbor'd in a royal brest Exeunt Sophonia Macrinus Soph. O dear Macrinus hasten thy departure Hostilius must not know thy longer stay He thinks he gives what he can take away Thy liberty which I have so endanger'd Mac. I would expose my life much more what you Call liberty to serve your Majesty Soph. That word does but revive The memory of my unhappy fate Macr. weeps Which I would fain forget I prethee weep not Mac. Madam I must though I rejoyce to see Your virtue triumph o're your misery Soph. Thou seest Valentius finds his satisfaction In my supposed death Mac. The Gods we see Intend your happiness since sure by their Instinct he destines Florus for the Throne Sop. Macrinus thou wouldst fain revive my false And treacherous hopes but oh I fear the heavens Which see mee in my miseries grow old Will in them let me die but pray le ts see The way th' hast found excuse my vanity To save my reputation when I dye Mac. Here 's the Inscription which I have made of you The most unfortunate of women the suppos'd Sophonia was the true Palladia Empress and Wife of Valentius condemn'd by him upon a false suspicion but sav'd by Macrinus conscious of her innocence and virtue in testimony whereof he hath left these characters ingraved with his own hands This I have cut in several plates of brass Which fixt in walls and only incrusted over With a slight plaister in short time decaying Will clear your story to the abused world Soph. Honest Macrinus how much I fear I never shall this zeal of thine repay Once more farewel make speedy hast away Exeunt Florus Servilius Carbo Carb Though Courts have ever been The chiefest Theaters where love delights To represent his cruel serious follies Yet Camps are not exempted Serv. Yes Sir but The wonder is to see our noble Gen'ral Surpriz'd thus with the picture of a Lady Car. Why were you so Flo. Yes when the Roman Eagles
oft would say In other things let justice be observ'd Val. O ye immortal Gods why has your care Given us a touchstone to distinguish our Adulterate gold and no mark to discern The treacherous hearts of false perfidious men If this be true Confound him with your sharpest thunderbolt But 't is too true and if I further stay To question it I fear I shall become Procurour of those dire events upon me Portended in my last nights dreams to happen Within so short a time Antonia retire I 'le have a care To vindicate my honor his proud Laurels Which from Joves thunder are secure I 'le blast But let this secret make no further progress Ant My prudent care shall not fail to correct This fault to which our sex is incident Val. A Prince who tolerates a known disgrace Becomes the subject of the vulgar scorn Ant. Honor once sought to be betray'd is never Secure so long as the Offendor lives Val. Gelosie entred in a Prince no other Assistant needs to hasten his revenge Ant. Which when it is of a slow pace we find 'T is signe of weakness in a Princes mind Let him th' effects Sir of your anger prove Who thus hath undervalued your love In prudent Monarques like your self t' appear Not to be fear'd should be your only fear Exit Car. You Majesty's perplext Val. But why should I So low thoughts of my self have and so high Of his bold insolent temeritie Good Carbo have the patience to repeat Thy story over though in it ev'ry passage Creates new wounds and ulcers in my soul Thou saidst the Master of my light Cavalrie Macrinus was not Father of this Florus But that Arsenius the sworn enemy of My person and my dignitie has made The world the present of this dissembling Monster Can this be so Car. Your Majestie may rest Can this be so Car. Your Majestie may rest Assur'd I heard it from his own relation And how besides he has in a disguise Converst here with him in our Camp where he Assur'd him of the consent of Hostilius For his obtaining of the fair Aurelia The Idol of his soul With the rich dowrie of the Roman Empire Val. Which his pernicious hopes securely streight Devour'd with consentment to my ruine Car. Yes and with invitation to my self Joyning with him to take part with Hostilius See where the Empress comes I take my leave Exit Valentius Fulvia Antonia Ful. Now if Antonia as thy promise was aside Thou hast distill'd the poison in his ears I shall perceive streight by the operation Val. My dearest Fulvia since all griefs and sorrows Divided are betwixt the Wife and Husband Th' occasions also should be so if then Antonia's care without your intimation Has let me know the cause of your distemper I must obtain her pardon let then thy Former serenity of looks dispel Those clouds of sorrow from that brow to mine Where they hang thick already but I 'le have Them washt away in bloud of the offendors Ful. With whose let mine be joyn'd Sir 't is the only Favor I beg here on my knees by all kneels The former merits with which the constant duty Of an obedient Wife has e're been able T' oblige a Husband by the rising hopes Of young Valentius and the other pledges And fruits of our so constant loves till now By this accursed accident disturb'd Val. They are not rise then O let me not see takes her up My idol thus bow and encline to me Ful. Sure you look on me with false eyes or else You see me chang'd into a loathsome creature Suspicion of guilt in an Empress makes her Seem foul and guiltie to her felf and others So I am in effect a Viper though He casts no poison forth his very touches Are venemous th' offring to embrace me In Florus has methinks with leprosie Infected all my parts Good Sir have mercie kneels again On your poor Fulvia here and let me die When life is now my greatest miserie Val. His bloud shall rather satisfie th' offence Who trespast on thy spotless innocence And though he seemeth at too cheap a rate By single death his crime to expiate 'T is recompenc't at once to see him die And live in a perpetual infamie Whilst thou the best of women glorie of embraces her The present age and honor of thy sex Shalt like a star of the first magnitude Shine glorious in the firmament of honor However yet my dearest Fulvia The heavens in their happiness delay Thy presence though so much desired there T' instruct the age is necessary here Ful. My noble Lord my dutie So hitherto obsequious to your will Shall strive then to obey your last commands Val. O now thou speakst like Fulvia and thy self Thy passions can never long transforme thee Come let us go to my Pavilion and Consult upon the manner how to put In speedy execution our revenge The just effects of which shall never cease Till in the Traitors bloud I find my peace Exeunt Florus Honorius Flo. 'T is strange methinks Honorius that you An Epicurean by Sect should be An enemy of love the greatest pleasure When once obtain'd in the enjoyment of What we call perfect beauty a happiness So frequently desir'd so seldom found Hon. The nature of true pleasure can't consist In the delights of love which leave the soul Not satisfi'd when the most satiated Whilst in her interchangeably there fight Restless disgust and restless appetite True pleasures no remorse but leave behind Them still a grateful odor in the mind Flo. They ill discourse of love who are no lovers Hon. It troubles me to see the royal fort Of noble Florus heart thus yielded up Flo. 'T is given up to him who conquers all things And will in time the brave Honorius brest Where virtue keeps so strong a garrison Hon. It must be weak if so contemptible An Adversary can his entrance force Flo. Neglect of the Enemy destroys the valiant Hon. The fear of him dejecteth noble spirits Flo. Who apprehends his Adversary may Preserve his honor though he lose the day Hon. Esteem of him is distrust in our selves Flo. A prudent fear companion is of valor Hon. 'T is rather of an irresolved mind To them Aurelia Flo. But stay behold here breaks the beauteous light Which will these difficulties cleer Honorius stand firm what means this change Honorius surpriz'd at her beauty Let not thy actions contradict thy words Hon. My hearts unmov'd but the external sense In such surprisals has no sure defence exit Au. Yonder he comes his eyes are fixt on mine Those false lights which will lead him to his ruine Love and Disdain two raging firebrands Are of the mind their common residence Is in the heart but raise a general Disturbance in the soul confounding all Her faculties They are of equal force Contending for the prize with emulation But in effect and nature contrary The one producing hatred and the other Gentle affection
well exprest who thus affects you Exit Plo. Let 's see if the Inscription shew the same Person the picture seems to represent turns about the Medal Fulvia Empress second Wife of Valentius c. Is this some real passage or illusion Perchance I dream and now some lively visions Play the Impostors on my deluded fancy I wish it were so but that scarce can be For though in dreams we think our selves awake Yet really awake we know we dream not No I am the lost miserable Florus And this the cruel Fulvia who destroys me And which is strange with love a stronger engine Erected for my ruine then her hatred Who can esteem me innocent whilst I Am flexible thought to so foul a crime Blast me ye heavens or else at least these looks Which please the Empress if my heart be chast They are lascivious and my honor stain And this sufficient is to make me guilty Was ever case like mine If I declare My self a lover then I lose my friends And if I am belov'd my Prince I injure In highest point of honor and what 's strange Th' offendor is in both wayes innocent Exit Antonia 'T is strange my Husbands love should fade so soon Which I have sought to cultivate with all Art duty offices which can become A subtle woman or complacent wife Perchance I am deceiv'd and with some false Surmise create within my self true torment O Gelosie o thou quicksighted daughter Of thy blind father Love of whom at last Thou prov'st the murd'rer thou of all things only Detested loathed hated by thy self Ingenious only in the searching after That which thou wishest could not be found out Or being found leaves thee in greater torment Since in so short a time thy venom has Spread through my veins and poison'd all my thoughts Return to thy infernal mansion where Hatred begot thee though perchance some share Love in thy generation might have To make thy birth double and so more monstrous There be a torment to thy self and since Suspicions are thy choicest nourishment Vex thy self with new fears never secure As well with those which doubtful are as sure To her Servilius Ser. Here comes my poor Antonia methinks The sad reproach of my inconstancy Ant. What cause have I giv'n you of late to be So much disgusted with my company Ser. None but some other flames have in my brest Extinguisht thine and rob me of my rest Ant. What can these strange looks or this language mean I hope Sir you intend no breach of faith Ser. No I am forc'd to it against my intention Against my former vows and my own wishes Ant. We all confess Sir this unquestion'd truth Mans will cannot be forc't though it rebel By any power on earth in heaven or hell Ser. If here 's an error Florus should be rather Accus'd then I he who first joyn'd our loves Has been the occasion of dissolving them In shewing me a face of late in beauty So far transcending thine That 't were impiety not to adore it Ant. False and disloyal man Florus and thou shalt sink under the force Of my revenge provok't to such a height It shall pluck on you both untimely fate Ser. Antonia divert the torrent of This furious rage some other way accuse Nature who has to my excessive torment This beauty form'd so far excelling thine As the moon does the lesser stars out-shine Ant. Traytor accuse thy one perfidiousness Which makes thee change thy promise and thy customs Ser. I have chang'd the object only not my custom Ant. Th' hast broke thy faith this makes thee infamous I hope in her thou followst thou wilt see An hatred equal to my love of thee Ser. Antonia examining thy glass Accuse that vulgar beauty and thy face Which on my free-born soul has had no charms More pow'rful and such early fading colours Exit Ant. Go go Go if my beauty be of untimely fate In my revenge so shall not be my hate To perfect which I heaven and hel will move 'T is th' only recompence of injur'd love Nature and Fortune cruel Stepmothers Are to us women in our tender years Our Fathers Palaces to us are Prisons Where nor our persons nor scarce our looks are free And afterward when our maturity Should change this bondage into liberty We only of all creatures are who buy With a vast dowry our own slavery Thus only changing a new Master whom We purchase to rule o'r our souls and bodies And cast us off thus when he please Man is A bold insolent creature grand usurper Upon the rights of nature not by his wit For in our age of folly we enslave him But by his force and number He makes lawes Partial t' himself rigid to us his vows He breaks ours must be kept his vices Pass only for his gallantries ours are Branded with foul and horrid names t' affright us Ambition in us in him is honor And our irregular appetites in him Pass for the noble passions of his love Not only to be excus'd but commended Who made these laws and customs did our Sex Ever give up their voice and suffrages No there 's no right or obligation then We should obey these orders made by men So partial Judges th' Empress and I will see To vindicate our sexes libertie Exit ACT. III. Florus Servilius Carbo Car. That which you tell us is a secret of Importance that Arsenius should be Your Father and converse here in our Camp Flo. 'T is True but I am now relating to you Th' occasion which has brought Aurelia hither The wild lust of her Father not content To violate the chastity of Virgins The faith of Matrons Widows vows at last Lasciviously incroached on his Daughter The horror of which thought so frighted her Such was her vertuous innocence she sought Her refuge from her enemies and fled From him her Father as her greatest foe So by this means fortune affords my arms Th' happy occasion of protecting virtue I think her self in a corporeal shape Ser. This passion of your love strangely deceives you Virtue needs no external form or beauty Seldom puts any on and yet more seldom 'T is that they can agree Chiefly in Courts like jarring Elements Where one proves the confusion of the other Beauty at least to Virtue ever fatal Car. He tells you true the outward shape of your Aurelia shews no internal goodness Flo. Sure correspondent to Th' external splendor must be lodg'd in her A soul deserving such an habitation As greater lustre of some sparkling jewels Denotes in them no less intrinsique virtue Car. I can compare Aurelia's eyes to stars As bright as you but of ill influence And look on her arrival to the Camp Like the approach of some ill threatning Comet Th' heavens preserve our General and us Flo. What raises these strange Omens of my love Which some will envy but the most approve Ser. Most will condemn others oppose think not Aurelia's beauty will
of imperial Majestie Or lose the hopes else of an ardent lover Rebellious passions of my distracted soul Fear love desire envy why d'ye thus Torment my mind with separated factions Though thou art here a most unjust Usurper Love I 'le my self rather submit to thee Divided power is greater tyranny Speak then and hope happy success may make Our impious actions pass for honorable Much more the faults of love which in all brests Find their Apologies for no man shall Seeing Florus not absolve the Criminal And Ladies which have known him cannot chuse But say the cause brings with it the excuse To her Florus O here he comes As I expected Florus I hope you have Confronted the Original with the Pourtraict I gave you and are pleas'd with both Flo. Your Majesty was not deceiv'd I shall Declare my self an enemie to those Who shall their treacherie practise on that beauty Ful. Now I am happy I perceive he loves me aside Let no suspicious gelosie torment you You only then need fear a Rival when Another Florus should be like your self Flo. In brests where love has no admission found Gelosie can find none he need not fear A Rival who no lover is Ful. Not you A lover can I be so much deceiv'd Flo. Yes when my reason shall direct the passion Ful. Love joyn'd with reason Is a monster and not that noble ghest Which should command all in a Princes brest Fear counsel reason either chasing thence Or else reducing to his obedience Flo. My honor then must regulate my actions Ful. Which never should inspire a noble heart With cruelty but rather with compassion Of a distressed Lady Florus you Knew that to be Fulvia's Picture I gave you Flo. 'T is true and as I think by some mistake Unluckily convey'd into these hands Ful. No Sir be not deceiv'd the present was Made by mature election Flo. I reverence it as your gift and as The Pourtrait of my Soveraign adore it Ful. The name of Soveraign is unsuitable To my affection or my present state Call me your servant that familiar tearm Becoms him who predominats o're all The powers of my soul Disdain not one who ever hath preserv'd Her reputation unstain'd her faith Inviolated and to you alone Commits them both one action of my life Should not reproach me with inconstancie Compassionate an Empress who entreateth That used to command O Florus put A period to my life or to my torment Flo. O ye immortal Gods aside Can you see this offence and suffer it I hope your Majestie will harbor thoughts Which more become your royal dignitie And of your own dishonor and my shame In hearing mention'd this licentious flame Ful. If it be lawless 't will the more aspire Resistance will prove vain to my desire Flo. O Madam let reason triumph above This passion and honor over your love Think how I am the Subject of Valentius Ful. Sufficient curb to this repulse should be The thought how a great Empress loves you and Loves you alone and the Commandress of The world submits her self to your commands Flo. I can't conceive your Majestie as Empress But at that time Wife also of my Soveraign Ful. If you desire happiness think only Of my Imperial dignitie and power Flo. Who by their passions thus enslav'd have lost Their libertie cannot of power boast Ful. If thou despisest an obsequious lover Thou shalt the rage fear of an incenst Lady Flo. I apprehend more danger from the love Then anger of her who despises honor Ful. If thy audacious insolence contemns My threatnings their effects shall make thee tremble Flo. No violence no hidden treacherie Can affright him who never fear'd to die Ful. If that which I intend An ignominious death cannot thee move Thou hast less sense of honor then of love Flo. Which cannot be when the occasion only Springs from the hatred of an immodest woman Ful. Thou shalt feel miserie Flo. I can conquer it Ful. Thou shalt repent Flo. No I am ever constant Ful. I le be reveng'd Flo. I can defend my self Ful. To slight a Lady never was unpunisht Flo. Offence of honor can't be tollerated Ful. My hatred now shall equalize my love Flo. And my contempt my former reverence Ful. O thou unhappy Fulvia what does it Avail thee to be Empress of the world And canst not make thy self belov'd or fear'd Flo. O miserable Florus to what purpose Can serve thy innocence if thou becom'st The odious object of anothers crime Exit Ful. Ah cruel creature he is gone if ever Any had cause to murmur against nature 'T is I in giving him so like Valentius A form and shape fatal to my repose I cherisht the first heat enter'd my brest Insensibly as an acquainted ghest But seeking after how it did aspire I found my nuptial torch lighted this fire So that I can't reproach my self with shame My first and lawful love kindling this flame Then all the fault 's in him who thus rejects me O thou disdain the conquerour of love Which conquers all things else enter my brest There till revenge expel thee take no rest Incenst by thee let all my spirits aspire Mixing in combat with this tyrannique fire For victorie A Princess thus incenst With love and rage thus more is to be fear'd Then cruel fires fierce plagues devouring seas Or what most terrifies our human nature To her Aurelia Au. You Majestie is much perplext that passion Is alwaies great which can't contain it self Ful. I must conceal to her th' unlucky motive aside Of my disturbance Alas Aurelia My miseries are ever fruitful in Producing others scarce my tears are dry'd For the late losses of our Family But I must new supplies find to lament The fresh disgrace now falling on my issue Au. Who can be so unjust to injure you Or who can be so arrogant t' offend That pow'r which is so armed for revenge Ful. Valentius enemie of his own children Because I think they 're mine or else because They' are Nephews of Hostilius your Father Intends that Florus shall be now advanc't To the Imperial dignitie to their And my perpetual reproach that Florus Th' oppressor of my Father and who seeks The ruin now of yours Au. A happy occasion Opens a field to the triumphant passage Of my revenge I can my self disclose Now to so great an enemie of Florus aside O let that beauteous serenitie Madam return which us'd t' adorn your looks Y'have open'd your disease To the Physitian who alone can cure you Ful. Who you become of late an enemie To your own father interessed in The quarrel of Valentius against him Au. Your Majestie 's deceiv'd I only act A counterfeited part I have defam'd My Father as attemptor Upon my virgin modestie that I The better might secure his tott'ring power I fain my self in love with Florus and My flight here to Valentius as my refuge That I more safely may procure their ruin Ful. Aurelia we are
Victoriously under my conduct flew Through Italy reducing the Enemies power To the Precincts of Rome in the surprisal Of Sarnium I saw the picture of a Lady Drawn by the pencil of the famous Sanga Whose shape the very Goddesses would take Were they to make love here on earth again Ah how this object in the very moment Depriv'd me of my liberty so that My entrance there was servile not triumphal Car. To see arise in a great General Confusion from a Picture from a shadow Is very strange Serv. I thought A painted fire might deceive the sight But never raise a heat or kindle flames Flor. I grant this did not fame Paint out th' original substance of this shadow Above what fancy comprehends Eumolpus Has on this subject made a Song wherein He' has toucht the proper string of my affection With commendation of his friend the Painter Boy le ts see it go now and sing it SONG That divine form which thus deludes thy sense And holds thee gazing in a strange suspence The creature only is of Sanga's art Yet from these eyes love does his fires dart To them a lively speech his fav'ring hand Which to the tongue he never would impart Has giv'n like Sirens to betray thy heart Ah flye then 't is too late thou hast thy wound And there dost panting lye upon the ground My strange misfortune is that I Or rather my ill fate have fixt my love Upon an Enemy of Valentius So that if I pursue it I shall lose My Princes favour and if not I lose My soul my self Car. Why he is sick of my disease I love An Enemy of Valentius to Thee Aside Aurelia I gave my faith before Thy Father was declar'd his enemy Ser. I must condem this love Car. 'T is then with high injustice Ser. He 's guilty who hates not His Princes Enemies can you think him Then innocent who thus adores them Flor. Have patience only and Consider if th' admirer of this object Rather deserves reproach pity or envy shews a picture to them Car. What 's this I see aside startling I have defended here my Rival this Is my Aurelia's picture which I left her A pledge of my eternal love at parting Ser. This image so confounds my reason that Th' accused may justly absolve himself aside surpriz'd By virtue of his Judges crime I must Think of my duty to my Wife and Prince Flor. I perceive strange emotion In them but would not from their weakness seek Protection for my failings Why thus chang'd Come in and recollect your selves I 'le see If you are sick of my infirmity Exeunt Arsenius Honorius Ars disguis'd in habit of a common souldier Ars Behold us here arriv'd At the Tents of Valentius that I The General of Hostilius disguis'd In this vile habit of a common Souldier Expose my self to him my Enemy Are strange effects of love that liberty Which I give thee Thou in requital seems't to take from me Hon. Sir that you have restor'd me to my self And liberty I must confess but not That I thus seek to recompence your favour Express your meaning these words offend my honor Ars You have oft told me that Your General Florus was your greatest friend On which belief I let you know he was My only Son and how capricious fortune Had separated those minds and affections Which nature joyn'd Hon. 'T is true and I acquainted You with his love of your Princess Aurelia Well knowing the advantages you would Take to seduce him from his loyalty With so fair a temptation but know To this I then consented fearing that To take from noble vertue the occasion Of victory was to envy her triumphing Ars I hope his love of her will now extort That which the duty of a Father could not That 's his obedience since love ever finds His Empire greatest in the greatest minds though hitherto The vain and empty title of being loyal Prevail'd more with him then the entreaties of A most indulgent and a tender father Hon. Sir you are too indulgent who would thus Permit nay more perswade him to become A Traitor to his Prince the common Father Of us and of his Country and in whose Obedience though with loss of life and fortune He 's happy in performing thus his duty Ars Of all wild beasts which entrance find in Courts Malicious detractors are the worst Of all domestical these flatterers Which into Princes ears gently distill The poison of these maxims as if human Nature could thus comply with servitude Not foaming at the Curb Sir like sea waves Impetuously forc'd by several winds We are by the tempestuous torrents hurri'd Of rage ambition choller and revenge Of which the latter justly has provokt My indignation against Valentius Hon. Nothing can justifie these practises Against your Prince Ars But to the subject to return from which We deviate now I have of late obtain'd Aurelia by the consent of her Father In marriage for my Son to whom I lately Addrest a letter signifying the same shews him a letter Intending you the happy bearer of This grateful news of which another Copy I to Aurelia sent to shew my pen As forward as my sword in the procuring Hers and her Fathers interest but since Considering in desperate diseases That extreme remedies are best I 've chang'd My thoughts perswaded that a Fathers presence Will be more prevalent Then the mute eloquence of Paper so Behold me here arrived to procure An end to my calamities my Sons Greatest felicity the ruine of The persecutor of my life Valentius Hon. Give o're this rash discourse here thou shouldst die The sacrifice of my just indignation draws at him Wer 't not to envy thy brave Sons secure Triumphing over thy vain stratagems Dost hope through my protection to put Thy treacherous practice into execution Against my Prince the sound of this discourse More odious is to me then the noise Of chains or fetters which I 'le rather suffer These abject thoughts proportionate and proper Are to thy doating age attribute to Thy fortune of having so brave a Son puts up his sword The life thou receiv'st from these generous hands Ar. Is it a generous part thus to reward My benefit with this ingratitude Hon. A benefit conferred in the sense Of interest merits no recompence Ar. My forward love mistaken was to try To gain affection from an Enemy Hon. Thy hopes are vain it was thy error here With curtesie to ' abuse a Gentleman Ar. A Gentleman who such resentment shows The man to whom his liberty he owes Hon. Can he be author of my liberty Who would engage me in this treacherie Ar. Sir is it treacherously or nobly done To reconcile a Father to a Son Hon. A Father he who seeks to rob a Son Of his true honor and reputation Ar. Honor to spend his youth and time and die In service of his Fathers Enemy Hon. His respect to his Father must give way To that of
his true Prince who all must sway Ar. Mans first and greatest duty from the tye Of nature comes not human policy Hon. Nature must yield to reason which thinks fit Privat to publick int'rest should submit Ar. Go to thy Son Arsenius and try If he be cruel like thy Enemy Hon. Go to thy Son Arsenius there 's his Tent A Fathers ignominy there lament points to the Tents of the Camp And a Sons glory as thy punishment ACT. II. Fulvia Antonia Attendants Ful. ALl but Antonia leave the place Excessive griefs Antonia receive No mitigation from advice of friends And such are mine so that if I implore Assistance I exasperate them more Ant. Madam what causes this strange alteration So many nights your eyes have seen no sleep Which chang'd of late have lost their usual lustre Your looks and speech are not accompany'd With their accustom'd graces as some sick Persons in cold languishing all the night With feavors burning at th' approach of light Just so your Majesty the Sun offends When he his course begins or when he ends Th' arrival of the night gives you no ease That of the day your torments does increase To me your servant why d' you thus affect To hide the cause who tell you the effect Ful. What shall I do confessions of our crimes In Princes are worse crimes then they themselves And which if I strive longer to conceal aside This forced silence will at last reveal Let then my will Which in an Empress should be sole Commander The voluntary first eruption make Antonia thou shalt now know my disease But let compassion mollifie thy heart Conformable to the grief which I suffer Who the distress'd relieve must first resent And feel the torment of the Patient Florus that name so grateful to Antonia But more to me Florus I say to thee so acceptable Ant. Madam 't is true 't was he Who first to my Servilius me united Ful. And me has disunited from my self My Prince the world and all things but himself Florus more fair more beautiful than is Morning or midnight star more lovely then The pleasant Sun himself when he shines through The golden Fleece of the coelestial Ram. O how I am With love transported Ant. True But 't is I hope of your Valentius Ful. No 't is not yes it is I mean of him Not what he is but what he was in Florus Me thinks I see Valentius reviv'd And my old flames Love has Retrac'd the same imaginations in My fancy which kindled my first desires Nature gave the same features to their faces And to their minds and bodies the same graces Such sprightliness was in Valentius looks When first he courted me Such was his comely gesture when on horseback The stately courser proud was of his burden Thus smil'd he thus he frown'd and in his anger Became more lovely from the change of passions Marvel not then that so great a Commander So soon has conquer'd and inflam'd the breast Alas of a poor Lady Ant. These heats should be supprest in their beginning Ful. And so they might did they like other fires Grow by succession but they masterless Like lightning found expansion in an instant Through all my veins inflaming all my spirits Ant. Cast off these vain surmises and be sure the thought you may be cur'd is half the cure Let not your Majesty herein persever We safely sin sometimes securely never Strangle these vile thoughts in their infancy Ful. This I have oft endeavour'd but in vain So whilst that I Am thus consum'd by an internal fire Scarce daring to let it evaporate In words in sighs in tears like other lovers The heat increasing multiplies within My breast and will I fear at last for want Of vent destroy me Ant. Madam these thoughts should have no vent but find At once their birth and burial in your mind Ful. My vital heat and this more vital of My love are substances inseparable Nay if the nature of my soul shall not prove Mortal I fear that will not of my love So that to save my honor if I die I am not sure to end my miserie Wilt thou not then afford me thy compassion Ant. To her who voluntary casts her self In miserie what pity can be due Ful. O 't is against my will love like a Tyrant has Reduc't my soul and all her faculties In vassalage Virtue le ts fall her arms As weak and useless ' against such pow'rful charms Ant. Think on the violation of your faith Ful. I have and find that constancy is only A force imaginary in us women I find it by my self Ant. But not by others Ful. Canst see me perish and afford no succour Ant. Want of assistance in this kind preserves you My succor in this case would make you perish Ful. Thy Empress submissively intreats And wilt thou not obey Ant. learn to command And first your self and then I shall obey I am your servant not slave of your vice Ful. Canst thou a Lover be and yet so cruel Ant. My love I keep confin'd within due limits Ful. Contrivers of crimes secretly committed In Courts securely still advance themselves Without the loss of fame or reputation Ant. We doubly erre if erring we procure Th' opinion that we have conserv'd our honor Ful. If we approve in Princes Actions unjust for private int'rest why not Those more excusable for private pleasure A hidden fault was never entire crime Ant. That which is voluntary is entire Ful. But not in Princes who being publick persons Their vices if not publick are not vices Nor private virtues esteem'd Princely virtues 'T is cruelty not to assist th' afflicted Ant. Not when contrivers of their own misfortunes Ful. O thou art obstinat Ant. 'T is constancy Ful. 'T is cruelty Ant. 'T is generosity Ful. Ingratitude in the most high degree Ant. Greatest beneficence Ful. Thy Princes hater Ant. A lover of her honor and my own Ful. No more Antonia shall I live or die Ant. Then loss of honor death's less miserie Ful. What shall I do my reason having lost Whiles fury guides me I rove strangely tost I know not where but certainly astray Where honor suffers mad love to lead the way Exeunt Arsenius Honorius Florus putting up his sword Flo. No no I can't believe it 't is almost Impossible that he should be my Father Who seeks thus to deprive me of my honor In forfeiting my duty to my Prince Acknowledge in pure gift Thy life from my unlucky ignorance Of him who is my Father Hon. Brave Florus this new field maintain Which virtue has laid open with intention To signalize thy valor in all kinds Nature her self thou here subduest not words Of human art or hand and which is most None in this conquest but thy self can boast Ar. My Son Fl. My Enemy Ar. My only Son Flor. My greatest Enemy Ar. Thou know'st I seek Thy happiness and canst thou injure me Flo. Is this an injury to defend
my self From th'undermining practice of a Traytor Ar. Canst thou submit to serve a Prince who is An enemy to him who gave thee being Flo. Suppose you did will you on this account Rob me of my well-being fame and honor Ar. Disguis'd here in these abject weeds for thee My grandour and my dignity and life To hazard I expose Flo. Return thou hast free leave and reassume Thy Generalship under Hostilius It is my glory in the head of armies To meet me as my adversary but My shame disgrace and ignominy to Respect thee with the reverence of a Father Ar. Cruel Barbarian if thou dispisest Thy Father from whom thou enjoy'st this light At least make some account of him who seeks To put thee in possession of that Thou lov'st above this light thy fair Aurelia Flo. When my affection to Aurelia Shall be offensive to Valentius I le cast it off Ar. Art thou resolv'd to refuse me all pity Flo. I shall observe my duty to my Prince Ar. Which should give place to thy paternal duty And is ingrafted in all brests but thine Known long before Private ambition popular faction Had laid the ruines or the foundations Of Principalities or Commonwealths Whence these names sprang of loyalty and honor The cruel Thracian barbarous Indian Acknowledging no other law know this So does th' inhospitable Scythian Who others bloud devouring with his own His aged fainting Sire will revive Flo. My cruel fortune When thy looks fairest are how thou confound'st me Here filial obligation which nature Imprints not only in mens hearts but beasts Challenges my obedience to a Father Who not content to give me life seeks here With hazard of his own to make mine happy On th' other side my Prince who has prevented My age my merit and my expectation With heaping on me honors upon honors Exacts more from me then my gratitude Equaliz'd to my wishes could repay O how thus strangely circumvented I Far greater torment find to live then die Hon. Florus why thus perplext what in a dream Dispel these cloudy mists follow the way Where honor lights thee with her golden ray Flo. Honorius thou hast turn'd the balance which My trembling heart durst neither way incline Ar. Unfortunate Arsenius what new hopes Canst thou retain when they ingrateful are Which have such benefits receiv'd from thee The one is life the other liberty Hon. T' oblige the innocent to make him guilty Is not a benefit but treachery Ar. Ah Florus some respect to these gray hairs My Son some duty 's due to me thy Father Let these my tears mollifie that hard heart Which so inflexible seems to my prayers Flo. Old man give over Thy words and time are lost in this pursuit Ar. Rash and inhuman creature If thou dispisest the entreaties of a Father I le make thee fear the courage And stratagems of an old General Grown white under the helmot and the rage Of an incensed Enemy Valentius Shall know Aurelia's thy intended Spouse Hostilius thy private Friend so shall This artifice at once deprive thee of Thy honor and of that unworthy being Which I unworthily have given thee Flo. O nature O my honor cruel Tyrants Of my divided soul how you distract me In what inextricable labyrinth Has my ill fortune cast me if I conquer Or yield subdu'd in this unhappy conflict Of my contesting passions and affections I 'm sure to lose my life or reputation Or rather both which my sad thoughts presage Hon. Fear nothing be not thus dejected whilst Here 's an Honorius to give so ample A testimony of your innocence Flo. Malicious dotard do thy worst my clear Sincerity of mind and actions shall Prove thou a Traytor canst not be my Father Ar. Arsenius thou spend'st thy time thy words And labor here in vain come then prepare For thy revenge The world shall know what I thought to conceal Flo. Arsenius hold Ah stay and le ts compose this cruel strife You pretend only to have giv'n me life Which I 'le return t' you opening thus my brest The passage will make entrance for my rest The bloud will be the balsom of my honor And pay your debt and save my reputation Ar. Arsenius O thy unhappy fortune Which made thee Father Souldier or Commander Live cruel Parricide live and prolong Thy odious life I 'le find some way to death And my repose my self I cannot shew A cruel Father or soft-natur'd Foe Exit Hon. Florus why thus cast down 't is strange to see A man dejected after victory Here nothing was requir'd but a spectator Of this most glorious passage of thy life Which the propitious aspect of the heavens Has granted thee in an Honorius Florus farewel congratulate thy happy Fortune to have preserv'd a Friend who seeks The preservation of thy honor which Thy Father thou here losest sought to ruine Exit Flo. There is no reason nature should unite By an usurp'd authority those minds Virtue upon just grounds has separated But see th' Empress comes I 'm sorry she Should find me in this conflict of my passions Fulvia Florus Ful. Ladies retire within I will be private See here in finding Florus alone a happy Occasion is presented by my fortune aside For the discovery of my passion which As womens wits are best when they have least Time to consider I have found already I 'le tell him that I hear his love aspires To the possession of a Royal Lady Who meets his flames with mutual fire commending Herein his choice so by this artifice He shall perceive my love in a surprize Florus what is th' occasion of this sadness VVhen th'Emperour so much applauds your conduct Flo. Madam to see the enemy provide Against us a more vigorous assault Ful. 'T is but a new occasion for your triumph I know the real cause of this disturbance O Florus you aspire to great matters Flo. Servilius or my Father has betray'd me aside Ful. Nay I commend your course 't was virtue which Distinguisht and made Princes-first besides Love 's a great leveller like death and where He finds not an equality will make it Flo. I shall be of the Court Now and the Camp the laughing-stock and sport aside Ful. If you desir'd such secresie you should not Make one the object of your love so near In bloud to me allied Flor. Aurelia is her Niece 't is very true aside If I persist this silence will convince me Let not your sacred Majesty be thus Abus'd by false reports my Princes favor And yours as ever happens in great Courts Have rais'd me private enemies which seek My ruin from these false suggestions Ful. No no here 's no place for the least suspicion Against the testimony of this truth Which from the Ladies lips proceeds who loves you Which here this Medal better will declare gives him a Medal Then words which through respect of you and of My self I cannot utter Confront this with th' orignal and see If she be
when these fierce Combatants In duel are the heart too narrow a field For two such Foes groans languishing in torment Till one the victor shall subdue the other As here Disdain has Love in me by force Compelling me to act a damned part Against my nature conscience and my heart My honor does depend upon his death aside And yet perchance my life depends on his But I am now engag'd past all retreat Flo. O my Aurelia pardon this presumption If I am bold to call you so upon So new acquaintance my love 's of longer date Au. And so is mine however that love's poor Which time requires to grow up to perfection Mine of another nature was at once Finding conception and maturity Both at first sight of you Flo. But what was stranger I found my heart enflamed from the shadow And picture of you only from dead colours Love first found life in me I selt the heat Before I saw the light wonder not then If I stand trembling in the presence of My Goddess when the lustre of her only Image I could not with these eyes sustain Which from that time is ever in my thoughts Au. 'T is long amongst your very enemies That fame has painted your illustrious person Heroique actions though perchance with colours Defective from the life and your great merit Wonder not then that I forgetting my Imperial dignity and virgin blushes And other ceremonious restraints So suddenly am thus become your captive Flo. Can this be true Aurelia can the heavens So prodigally pour on me their blessings Au. To see you and to fall in love with you Sir things are different but by those heavens You mentioned happened to me in one moment Flo. Why should we fear that time should then destroy What time did not produce that 's our affection Au. 'T is true but violent flames like ours we see Consume their nourishing fuels and themselves And we think happier those whom love inspires With moderate heats with moderate desires Which keep themselves alive like glowing fires Flo. My life my soul my dear Aurelia Make here no mention of sinister surmises My brest not comprehending well the greatness Of my felicitie gives place too fast Already to my fears I cannot think My fortune unforeseen will constant prove Au. Sir you may fix her if you l execute What the sense of this Letter will perswade you Gives him a Letter which he reads as follows Flo. Florus I have through my affection to you restored to liberty your friend and my prisoner of war Honorius who has discover'd to me your secret love of our Princess Aurelia from whom I have obtain'd a correspondent affection for you by the consent of her Father who much desires to adopt such a Son for his Successor in the Empire The affection and interest you have in the Army ministers a fair occasion of revenging your self of a cruel adversary of your Father by disarming Valentius of his chiefest forces I expect your sodain answer and concurrence to your own happiness Arsenius What 's this I see new treacheries against me This Letter is writ by Arsenius How comes Aurelia to present it who aside Declares her self enemy of Hostilius Can she dissemble a person of such honor Au. What strange suspension is this which I see Sir in your thoughts and looks suddenly chang'd Be resolute the question 's only here Whether you will concur in the procuring Your Father's happiness your own and mine Flo. I can no amorous correspondence purchase At such a rate thus forfeiting my honor Au. Sir 't was plebeian folly Which first rais'd Idols and then worshipt them And amongst others this of honor but I hope your thoughts fly higher not confind Within the limits of law custom justice Shackles for Common people not for Princes Great Ravagers of sea and land like you Flo. Unhappy Florus what a coelestial shape A Fury here has taken to betray thee Vile woman take thy Letter throws back the Letter Inveigle some less cautious with these arts I lov'd thee whil'st I thought thee lover of Thy honor but do now as much detest thee As I do thy most detestable crime I could now kill thee for though little honor half draws VVould in 't appear the action commendable Would be to purge the world of so infectious A Pestilence yet live thou wilt resent puts up Thus I believe the greater punishment Au. Aurelia now 't is time to come to action Repentance is too late crimes of this nature If once begun are ne'r secure till finisht Friends Officers Commanders hasten To the defence of a distressed Lady cries out near the Tents An innocent Virgin an unhappy Princess To them Valentius Statilius Fulvia c. as out of the Praetorian Tents Val. VVast you Aurelia who made this outcry Au. Yes great Valentius t was I 't was I The most unfortunate Aurelia To whom no place I see will afford refuge For what security can I my self Promise from your protection when your Gen'ral My Fathers private friend threatens by force To bring me back to his Camp perswaded by This Letter which he has cast into my hands gives the Letter to Valentius That I fondly in love must yield my felf His prey to satisfie my Fathers pleasure My present enemie who persecutes My honor dearer to me then my life His rage has been so violent on my Refusal that he drew his sword upon me A poor distressed woman Deny this Villain if thou canst see there His sword yet scarcely sheath'd Flo. Sir hear me speak Val. Perfidious Traitor interrupt her not Au. Sir I hope You 'l as a Prince your patronage afford kneels To the distrest and as a Judge condemn So foul a criminal Look on me not as Daughter of a Tyrant And of your Enemie but as the Niece Of Fulvia your pious virtuous Empress rises If I cannot obtain revenge I 'le rather Chuse gloriously to die by my own hands Then afford matter to anothers crime Here I swear by those Gods who see me injur'd Flo. Your Majesty will let me speak Val. I will not O ye coelestinl powers in what strange darkness Are our human affairs involv'd from you We know not what to ask or what to fear So off our wishes prove our fatal ruin So oft by what we feard we are preserv'd I never sought your favours with such fervent Prayers for my self as for this monster whom Mov'd with a false inspired love I have From his green years here foster'd in my bosom Preserv'd his beauteous youth from all abuse And afterward before his age admitted Heap't honors on him to afford him matter In all the three parts of the world of Triumph Where I have made his name glorious and fear'd That at the last I might fear him my self Ful. Sir I could wish you 'd read His Fathers private Letter but alas I fear 't will turn your passion into rage Val. I will to disarm him of all excuse He is
reading the letter at some distance Ful. Now I triumph to see thy boasting fate Bow and submit it self to Fulvia's hate Au And from this moment I esteem my self To Florus apart Happy now I have made thee miserable Flo. O cruel creatures leave me to my self Au. No I 'le torment thee here when thou art dead My Brothers ghost shall act that part whom thou Inhumanly didst murder in cold bloud Flo. 'T was only by the chance of war he fell Au. Know once thou wert the only object of My love as now of hatred which when any Remorse of conscience would extinguish in me Plucks forth the bloudy handkerchef See here thus with that bloud I wip't away Ful. O my revenge sweeter then life or love Au. O how my joy increases with his torment Val. How much I was deceiv'd he shall streight die In reading the letter Val. often stamps and cries Traitor Shews the letter My dearest Fulvia what 's the matter with him Ful. He rages only to see himself discover'd Flo. Sir will your Majesty be pleas'd to hear me Val. Speak arrogant Traitor then only in answer To what I ask is this the writing of Arsenius confess is he thy Father Flo. Should I deny Arsenius Sir to be My Father I should be ingrateful to him Who gave me being which the Gods defend Val. It was thy choice then rather to express Thy gratitude to him a publick Rebel And Traitor to his Country then to me The common Father of her thy peculiar And so great benefactor See Statilius To have Honorius found out as I Believe confederate in this treason and Macrinus who perswading us he was The Father of him has conceal'd his true Extraction Sta. I shall obey Exit Val. Thy crimes so horrid are that with the greatest I can't reproche thee neither stands it with The reputation of a man of honor Much less a Princes dignity to speak them To them Honorius Arsenius Oh here opportunely comes another Conspirator Tell me vile man the reason To Honorius Of purchasing thy dear-bought libertie With prostitution of thy honor 't was Thou who discoverdst to Arsenius how Florus was ready to betray me when He should obtain Aurelia for his bed Therfore thou shalt fall with him it were pity That cruel death should separate that pair Which treacherous friendship has so fast united Ar. Unlucky son thus betray'd by thy self aside And I become a miserable Father In only seeking a Sons happiness Val. What he 's astonisht to be thus found out Hon. No 't is to have my faith suspected only Who with expence of bloud so oft have purchast The reputation of my Prince Ar. Infortunate Arsenius constrain'd Here to accuse thy self of guilt and die aside Dishonor'd to express a loving Father To him who scarce vouchsaf'd to be thy Son Val. When once thy actions have deceiv'd me I Should too incautious be to be surpriz'd With the fair language of discover'd traitors Ar. Ah cruel Prince if there be treacherie t is mine 'T is mine alone Florus is guilty of No other crime but disobeying of A Father in obedience to thee Which has alike Honorius made ingrateful To me the author of his libertie I am Arsenius and though I was Plucks off his disguise Injuriously upon a false suspicion Banish'd the Empire I 'le confess my self A criminal to save the innocent O spare a Son become an enemy To his own Father to obey his Prince O spare a Friend whose gallant braverie So nobly scorn'd my treacherous curtesie Let me fall with my bloud these gray hairs stain Who thus alone have my own ruine wrought The fittest sacrifice for thy revenge Val. Arsenius Arsenius here why this clears all my doubts Says this in amaze Flo. Unhappy Father this is to reproach A weakness in me not to think this heart Sufficiently couragious to sustain The injust indignation of one man Let not your Majesty deceive your self Had I not been incautious in my love My Father had not incur'd this suspisition Of treacherie not caus'd by malice but Compassion of rash folly in a Son Hon. Florus this language is offensive to Thy virtue and our friendship in supposing Your self the least way guilty in your life If you to envy subject were in death Be not to infamy Let glory triumph Over thy nature let thy Father perish Thy Friend thy self but let thy honor live Ar. My only Son let me fall by thy hands Compassion 't is not cruelty to take My life in my old age and save my honor Flo. Take rather Sir that life which you have giv'n To me now for my miserie already I for my glory have liv'd long enough Ho. Cheer up friends 't is for us who gloriously Have known the way to live so many years Easie to die like Romans in a moment Ful. Why thus amus'd Au. What do you ruminate To Valentius Ant. Sir as the case stands now your only counsel Is to take none Au. But think of execution Val. As a ship seeming with her ful-blown sails To make a high and rapid course sometimes Is checkt and drawn back by an unknown current So I methinks now ardently pursuing Revenge thus instigated by my reason And passion feel within me secret motives Which would retard my will But I must break Through these impediments They all shall die And from thee Fulvia shall receive their sentence Thou for thy answering my great benefits With an unparallel'd ingratitude To Flous Thou who preferd'st before thy loyaltie A friendship so dishonorable shalt Now see the fruits of thy unlucky choice To. Honorius And thou inur'd to treason who at last Betrayd'st thy self shalt see how the just heavens Convert thy crimes into thy punishment To Arsenius Thus Treason is discover'd in the birth The Gods of heaven protect the Gods of earth Ex. Val. c. Florus Honorius Arsenius manent Ar. Come let our minds be cheerful now they shall No longer pris'ners be we are just sailing Out of the narrow channel of this life Into the Port or rather boundless Ocean Of everlasting unrestrained freedom Ful. 'T is true we are now on the confines of That vast immense inconfin'd libertie Which men call Death Honorius if I lov'd thee So much here I shall more hereafter Hon. No Now comes the period of our friendship and Of what concerns us but our memory There 's nothing after death and death it self is nothing At least in all respects to us for whilst We are death is not and when death is We are no more and therefore nothing more Can us concern or humane nature when Our gross and airy parts are separated Ful. But the immortal soul Of the renown'd Honorius shall embellish The heavens where it shall give and receive New light and lustre and the just reward Of his so gloriously transacted life Hon. I ne'r indulg'd my self the libertie Of any vice as odious in its nature I ever honor'd virtue for her self And payd the tribute
of my worship to Th' immortal Gods as due to those high powers Not for reward or punishment me thoughts That was like Merchants to conditionate Irreverently with those celestial powers So I preserv'd my constancy of mind Dejected never by superstitious fears Nor pust up and exalted by false hopes But still in even balance To them Fulvia and Aurelia Ar. How importunly here These women enter to disturb us in Our passage to eternal happiness Th' Inheritance of noble souls Ful. Aurelia These men deserted of their former valor Have now recourse to false opinions of Philosophers and Pedants and would fain Perswade themselves that death 's no miserie But know it is of all the last and greatest Horrid and terrible in her own nature As contrary to the enjoyment of This pleasant light of which He now deprive you Hon. Impure creatures be gone The earth doth many monsters generate So does the sea yet nothing can produce So mischievous in nature as a woman Pursuing her revenge and scorning honor Mankind should have been propagated from Some other origine and not from this The fatal source the occasion and cause Of all his miseries and servitude Au. Thou base reviler of that sex which gave Thee life with hazard of her own hast here Extinguisht quite all sense of that compassion Which I methoughts felt moving in my brest Ful. Aurelia what pleasure 't is to see Them thus tormented in their rage if there Were any peace in death 't will make their death Less peaceable But you great Generals Deep Polititians and prime leaders in Affairs of War and State who fill'd the world With so much noise tumult and bloud with what Thoughts can you now reflect upon your selves Arm'd yesterday with numerous legions now Thus circumvented by the stratagem Of us poor silly simple virtuous women Flo. It is my glory not a reproach to me To have such impious creatures seek my death Ful. Which thou wilt undergo with high regret I know thy soul enamour'd on thy body Th ' object once of my love as now of hatred Cannot but with great indignation quit Her lovely pleasant and delightful mansion Flo. Not when she sees the neighborhood infested With such infectious pestilent diseases Ful. She must when she no benefit can find In death accompany'd with infamy Which if she have a being will torment her If not then nothing will remain of thee Hereafter but an odious memory Hon. Let us as it becomes us go and die Flo. Death 's our admission into liberty Ful. Th' entrance into confusion and darkness Out of which no man ever found his way Ar. The ease of troubled minds Ful. Their only horror Flo. The safe port of the virtuous Ful. Th' only rock Which human nature ever apprehends Flo. None but such impious creatures as thou art Who nor in life nor death can have repose Hon. Come let us die th' examples of true virtue Ful. The sacrifices of my furious rage Ar. We 'll freely meet our death Ful. Your execution Where you shall fall the trophies of my triumph Flo. The types of honor how happier 't is to die So then like you to live in infamie Ful. All after death incertain is in life No such felicity as our revenge ACT. V. Aurelia disguis'd Aur. O Thou bright glorious morning Thou oriental spring-time of the day Who with thy mixt vermillion colors paintest The Skies these Hils and Plains thou dost return In thy accustom'd manner but with thee Shall ne'r return my wonted happiness Here thou reducest back with thee the early Light and the golden Planet of the day To revive and illustrate with his presence The troubled world thou chasing noisome darkness And clouds of discontent illuminat'st All hearts with joy and chearfulness but mine From thy approche all things receive below New face and restoration The usurping Seas which devour the innocent become Calm in their channels the rebellious winds Publick disturbers of the peace of nature Find and give rest to the other elements All beasts of rapin Lions Wolves and Tygers Have their repose Only a guilty mind No cure no peace no rest shall ever find Here in my brest as in her loathed cell Eternal horror will for ever dwell To her Sophonia disguis'd like an Eunuch An. O Sophonia Since last night parting we our habits chang'd In this disguise these eyes have known no sleep Soph. Nor will not Madam if you keep them open Thus to your tears mine are long since dried up Unless they 'r such which have so many years Continually distill'd within my heart Au. O I shall ne'r sleep more The cleer sun-shine of my serener dayes In a short moment vanishing is here Succeeded by a fearful night of horror Which will ne'r know a setting but in death Soph. Thy tender years Aurelia know not The nature yet of death it is so lately From me thou learnst to live Au. And have not the Curst fruits of this last passage of my life Most rarely answer'd the blossoms of thy hopes Of me e're that my virgin honor Were lost thus to contaminate my self With so detestable a parricide Soph. Desire of revenge transported you Au. Which the immortal Gods Permit us never to execute our selves O what infernal torments equal mine Hating to live I am afraid to die Yet ne'r can hope ease to my miserie Now since I hear my Brother Lucius fell Only by the unlucky chance of war O the most cruel nature of my Father Thus to abuse my credulous ignorance Soph. Madam did he inform you otherwise Ar. Yes and perswaded me that Florus kill'd him With his own hands in cold bloud after battel And thus deluded gave me the curst employment Of cutting of this General in his Camp The only person which I lov'd of whom I had the fortune to be lov'd again Soph. It was unjustly done thus to deceive you Au. 'T was his insatiate thirst of human bloud Which since I find increasing with his age I have thought of the effusion of some Which if not satisfying will delight Perchance his strange capricious appetite Soph. I scarce know what this language signifies I hope you think not by some greater sin To wash away the lesser Madam Your virgin tears will best perform this office Au. No my offence is of a deeper stain And must be washt in bloud I have alreayd Thought of the way and fixt my resolution In this disguis'd habit I 'le tel my Father That I the fatal executioner Have been of his Aurelia on pretence Valentius had discover'd my designe Now streight I know his rage will prompt him to Kill me with his own hands so that I shall Immediately the proper trophy fall Of the most injur'd Florus funeral And if the bloud of an usurping Tyrant Be ever the most grateful sacrifice To the immortal Gods as certainly It is I hope that mine deriv'd from him Will prove an acceptable offering The man whom I lov'd best he made me