Those Griefs whose Cure you say depends on me What have I done that you should use me so Dem. Ah Madam sure you my Transgression know Or your Resentments could not be so High As by such Cruel Words to make me Dye Which now I humbly begg your leave to doe Since twice you say I was unkind to you But for those Words I never could have thought That my Misfortune did Transcend my Fault I must Despair your Pardon now to win My Grief for needing it being judg'd my Sin Stra. You never my Resentments did provoke But by your Silence and what now you spoke Dem. Would to the Gods I never had then I Should but Unhappy and not Guilty Dye But I alas must by a Fatall Oath Ending my Life contract the Guilt of both This is my Fate whatever I shall doe Stra. I feare your Sorrows have Distracted you Dem. A las Distraction Madam would appear A Happiness compar'd to what I bear For though the Joys I in your Love Recieve Transcend all those which Heaven to me can give Yet I those Charming Glories must foregoe And to my self the Sin thereof must owe. Stra. Demetrius I believ'd you had a Soul Which could th' approaches of Despair controul Dem Condemn not Madam the Despair I show Since Tryphon is Declar'd my Rivall now Stra. Since this is the Misfortune you deplore I have more cause to Blame you then before For could you Grieve at this did you not fear I would his Crown above your Love preferr By your first Fault you did but wrong my Love But this a wrong does to my Vertue prove Alas what two worse Actions could you doe Then thus to doubt my Love and Vertue too Dem. Ah Madam if you would have heard me out You would have â—…ound that I do neither doubt For Nothing can to either equall be But that Misfortune which has fall'n on me When I thus grieve he does my Rivall prove I feare his Cruelty not doubt your Love But though his Fire for you I must Lament Yet Fate on you a sharper Curse has sent For he not knowing I his Rivall am Imployes me to acquaint yon with his Flame To court you for him I am hither sent And he his Rival makes his Confident Str. He has more cause to mourn for this then you Dem. Yet to a Trust Fidelity is due That Man who can be faithless to his Friend Though 't is in Love deserves to lose his End Could I but one Unworthy Action do I should by it forfeit my Right in you And though you might to Pardon me think fit Yet to my self I ne're could Pardon it Stra. Heaven this strict Virtue does in you Inspire Which therefore I Condemn not but Admire Then with what you did Promise him Comply But what you ask for Him I 'le still Deny Thus you to Friendship 's Duty Just may prove And I as Faithfull to the Rights of Love Dem. Oh gods What is Demetrius's Offence That you to him so strange a Fate dispence Your Fiercest Anger could not plague him worse Then thus to turn his Blessings to his Curse Your Love and Vertuâ—… which should give Releif But more contributes to Augment my Grief Yes Madam your Inconstancy and Hate Had been to me a less Tormenting Fate Less Horror I had felt from Deaths Assault Caus'd by my Mistress Justice then my Fault I 'me as Unfortunate as you are Fair. Stra. Alas what causes in you this Despair Since I have let you know how you might be Just to your Vowes to Tryphon and to Me. Dem. 'T is more then all the World has Pow'r to doe I must be False to Him or False to You For not believing he Ador'd your Eyes I swore a solemn Oath I would despise His Conquerors Charmes to serve him thus you see I must Forsake you or must Perjur'd be I know which of the two I ought to doe 'T is less to loose then be unfit for you Heaven which your Merits and my Faults has known Calls me to Death you to the Syrian Throne Death is to my Ambitious Passion due Which from the Throne can only hinder you My Fate I therefore shall Undaunted bear Since 't is my Ruine helps to raise you there Stra. Could I of what you now propose admit I of that Throne should judge my self Unfit Tryphon to gain it has acquir'd such Hate As 't is scarce strong enough to bear his Weight And to his Guilt if I should add my own 'T would be a Certain Way to sinke the Throne Dem. If with his Pow'r your Virtue you doe mix Madam the Throne you would not Sink but Fix Then what he offers you vouchsafe to take Both for your own and for your Countries sake Stra. My Country will deserve those Chaines shee 's in Could she consent to Break them by my Sin Dem. Your Country cannot charge them with a crime Since Madam I Resign you up to Him Stra. Resign me up to him Ah you shall find That I to Tryphon will not be Resign'd Now you Pretend to more then you can Do For you 'd Forsake me and Bestow me too You may if you think fit your Love Resign But I Demetrius ne're can alter mine Dem Ah the more Kindness you to me Express You still to it Intitle me the less Stra. I see 't was clearly what you told me now And mourn your Sin more then the Losing you Yet I by Scorning Tryphon will make known I Value you more then the Syrian Throne If to your Guilt I so Oblieging prove Ah judge what I 'de have been unto your Love Farewell you are the first the World e're knew Who Lov'd his Mistress and Forsook her too Stratonice and Irene go out Demetrius gazing after them Dem. Thus when the Sun from us withdraws his Light He leaves the World to Horror and to Night Why to the Throne did Heaven let Tryphon climb And then Revenge on me my Truth to him Prodigious is my Fate my Death I find In Friendships being True and Beauty Kind Oh Gods to what must I hereafter Trust Since you Destroy me but for being Just If you for Virtue onely will Admit Why am I Ruin'd for pursuing it He goes out Cleopatra and Hermione Cleopatra holding Tryphon's letter in her hand The SCENE the Garden of Nicanoâ—…'s 〈◊〉 Cleo. To Court and gain my leave his Queen to be And after dare thus to Abandon me Th' Affront which he therein on me would lay Can only by his Blood be wash'd away Her Why should his leaving you your Anger move Since now you may Accept Aretus Love That Fatal Promise which eclips'd your Joy Tryphon's Inconstancy does now Destroy Cleo. I should Aretus Flame too much Abuse If I gave him what Tryphon does Refuse Her Sure Madam if you argue at this rate To lose Aretus is your Choice not Fate Enter Aretus Ar. Madam I bring before your Justice now One who has been so Criminal to you As he no
sorrows Tears away Shee 's Courted by a Monarch whose Renown Does make him greater much then does his Crown To Conquer All he has resistless Pow'rs His Sword subdues His Sex his Vertues Ours Sev. Then let his Virtue which you so much Prize Suppress your Jealousie and dry your Eyes Virtue so Firm as nothing can Remove Aliz. Virtue is nothing but a Name in Love What cannot Love when he is Victor do Which makes me think their Change their Virtue too Sev. With equal Flames the King your Flames did meet And daily breath'd his Passion at your feet Myrtles when giv'n by You were Dearer held Than all those Lawrells Vanquish'd France did yield He went with Grief that Empire to subdue Hating what ever sever'd him from You. Aliz. I see his Change in spight of all his Art He suffers not but plays the Lovers part Sev. Let not such Thoughts be entertain'd by you He Courts you now more then he us'd to do Aliz. This does the Truth of what I said detect His Passion now is chang'd into Respect And Love which once was High and is decay'd Like the Sun setting casts the greater shade From all his secret Vows he does depart 'T is False Love onely needs the help of Art Sev. Such Doubts his Constancy may Over-throw Who Thinks him False provokes him to Be so Did you to him your cause of Grief unfold Aliz 'T would not deserve that Name could it be told She meanly Loves who slighted can admit Ought but her Love alone can tell her it Sev. No wonder Grief thus in your Breast does Reign When you from your Physician hide your Pain Let Him but hear from whence your Sorrow grows Aliz. 'T is Love and vain to tell him what he knows Sev. Then I will tell it him and he will fly Faster to You than to a Victory And quickly learn to clear his Fancy'd Fault Aliz. A Perfect Lover needs not to be taught And if he were with Lovers tâ—…ue Passion Fir'd He would not need to Learn hee 'd be Inspir'd Sev. At my request ease your distemper'd Mind And on my life you suddenly shall find To think him faulty is to think Amiss Aliz. He is too Guilty since I think he is Exeunt several wayes Enter Cleorin and Delaware Cleo. I hop'd your absence now three years compleat Had cur'd your Passion for Plantagenet And you would Fame to hopeless Love prefer Dela I courted Fame but more to merit Her Since I durst Love not having Fame atchiev'd Since I Ador'd her while her Husband liv'd Now that the Noble Kent three years is dead Now that with Lawrel War has Crown'd my Head How can you be dear Sister so unwise To think that Love can fall while Hope does rise Cleo. You know Dear Brother onely for your sake That I three years incessant care did take To make my self your Conquerours Confident But though I have accomplish'd my Intent Yet all I Gain'd by it is to believe She never your Addresses will Receive For since she lost her Lord the Noble Kent She thinks all time not paid to Grief mispent Dela In what you say much cause of Hope I find Since Grief tâ—… unwelcom'st Passion of the Mind She does admit within her to Reside Love the most welcome cannot be Deny'd Cleo. Do not your Hopes with such wild Fancies feed Her 's is a Grief which does from Love proceed You by your Passion strangely are mis-led Dela Is it then possible to Love the Dead We but to those Alive can Love express For when the Cause does die the Effect must cease Cleo. Your own strange Fate opposes what you said Your Love does Live and yet your hope is Dead Dela Since Love has over her Triumphant been My Flame is such to doubt Success were Sin Cleo. Nothing from Sorrow can her Soul remove And Grief is still an Enemy to Love But were her Grief subdu'd yet I must say A greater hind'rance does obstruct your way In the King's Heart a growing Flame does rise Which he discovers by his Sighs and Eyes He is the greatest Monarch of the Earth And greater by his Actions then his Birth Dela Had I her heart his Titles would not sway In Loves just ballance onely Love does weigh Cleo. The Nature of our Sex I 'le not disguise Our Servants Loves less than their Pow'rs we prise For but in Name alone their Hearts are ours But we effectually do share their Pow'rs Dela Yet Love would tell her 't is a greater thing To Conquer then it is to be a King Cleo. There 's something else which makes my Care more great Then all which I to you have mention'd yet You know the Prince of Wales did once appear Your Conquerours Lover and was lov'd by her And he to wed her gain'd the Kings Consent But unexpectedly she married Kent I often prest the Cause she would reveal Yet she the secret does from me conceal But though she on the Prince does lay the Blame Yet she will weep when she but hears his Name A thousand other Proofs do make me doubt That Fire is onely cover'd not put out Dela Ah Cleorin there 's none but I alive Of that Strange Marriage an account 〈◊〉 give You know when to the Wars of France I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Which in short time did grow so strong and high As when he found he of his Wounds should die He to strict silence first did me Engage Then told me how he gain'd his Marriage Which is so strange a story I dare swear She never can love him nor he love her Cleo. I will not beg you then to tell me why Since you have ty'd your self to secresie Brother I now must leave you for you know Our King does on King Iohn a Masque bestow To which he did Plantagenet invite And thither I must wait on her to night Dela Ah since you must be gone yet e're you go Let me at least what I may hope for know Cleo. The highest joy to which you can pretend Is that your Mistress you may make your Friend Dela If She does Friendship and not Love bestow At once she 'll make me blest and wretched too Cleo. She 'll meet your Friendship but your Love she 'll shun Despair must do what Reason should have done Dela This is a cruelty she should abhorre She should not do so much or should do more Exeunt several wayes Enter the King Alizia and Sevina Alizia 's Chamber King While your Suspition to such height does rise You wrong at once my Passion and your Eyes Ah Madam be no longer so unkind Since you to think me False must think me Blind How can you doubt of any change in me When such fair Eyes are your Security Aliz. Ah do not Sir condemn what I have done To doubt your Love does more declare my own 'T is Love not Jealousie which I detect Then for the causes sake excuse th' effect King Madam
Provinces your Sword has Won Ask me to share with you the English Crown And that true Kindness with does me dispose Still to deny you Her would grant you Those Prin. The Empire of the world I should Disdain Unless Plantagenet with me did Reign No Charms would in that Throne to me appear Without I had your leave to place Her there But if you grant me what I now implore I cannot Ask nor can you Give me more King When first her Beauties in your Heart did Reign I had design'd to Marry you in Spain And the consent I of Don Pedro won By which you had Succeeded to his Crown But by affection for you I was led To give you leave Plantagenet to Wed. What Act of greater Kindness could be shown Then yield your Love should lose so fair a Throne You have lost Spain by your first Fatal Flame And by your second you will lose your Fame Those Wreaths which Conquer'd France for you have made By such a Guilty Fire will quickly fade Prin. I doubt not Sir but by my Sword to gain As large a Monarchy as that of Spain Fortune the Valiant may to Thrones prefer But 't is by Sufferings I must Conquer her King Ah Prince since nor your Reason nor your Fame Can cure you of so Criminal a Flame I 'le try if my Commands can make you do What Fame and Reason cannot lead you to I here enjoy you Son by every thing Which binds you to your Father and your King This sinful Love without delay decline Which should your Horror cause as well as mine For if this Passion longer you pursue You 'll lose your Fame your King and Father too Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Prin. Two Ills he offers one he bids me choose I must my Mistress or my Father Loose Why should he strive by Nature to remove The highest bond of Nature that of Love Though Nat'ral 't is t' Obey a Fathers call Yet to love her is much more Natural Since he would have me yield to Natures sway Where she most Rules there I should most Obey Dela Since She your King your Father and your Friend Oppose your Love give to your Love an End Any of them the Conquest ought to Win Then to Oppose all Four will prove a Sin Prin. Ah Delaware the Sin were much more Great Should I now cease to love Plantagenet Then I to kill my self I must needs consent My Love and Life being of like extent Dela Your Passion is Unjust while 't is so Great You pay Loves Score with what is Natures debt If in your Love so prodigal you are With what Sir will you pay your Fathers Care Prin. Ah 't is his Love for her noâ—… care for me Which makes him treat me with such Cruelty Against all Rules of Justice he does go Making himself both Judge and Party too If to Love her who wrong'd me be a Crime The self-same cause makes Love a Fault in him Dela More by a King and Father may be done Then may be by a Subject and a Son Let calmer Thoughts you to your Duty bring Pronounce the names of Father and of King With that Respect which is to either due And yield to those Effects 't will work in you Those Pow'rful Names will then Victorious be Prin. I find in either dwells Divinity For nothing less of Force enough could prove To hinder me to speak to her I Love This is the very utmost I can do And this Heav'n knows will prove my Torment too Dela Silence Sir is but half of what you owe You should suppress your Inclination too Prin. My Inclinations must be let alone For though 't is Mine yet it is not my own Dela Onely to Lovers this Distinction's known How can it Sir be yours and not your own Prin. Subjects who from their King the Pow'r have gâ—… Are still his Subjects though he Rules them not Oh Friend in my Condition there appears Two Motions like to those which Rule the Sphears My Love the Rapid Motion I may call My Duty to my King the Natural Which while it does it's Regular Course obey Loves Rapid Motion hurries it away Exeunt The End of the Third Act. THE FOURTH ACT. The Scene opening King Edward and Lord Latymer appear in a Garden discoursing Lat. SIr 't is past doubt the' Intelligence is true King What the French King the Princes Rival too Lat. And to so great a Height as I believe A period to their Friendship it will give For never any yet could soar above The fierce Resentments of a Rivalls Love King Friendship between them two can hardly be Of so much Strength as Nature is in me Since Love in me does Nature's Force subdue Doubt not in them 't will Conquer Friendship too 'T is the Prerogative of her Bright Eyes For Love of them to breake all other Ties Lat. Is it then just you on the Prince should lay Commands above his Pow'r Sir to obey King Oh Latymer I grant I am to Blame But 't is not Love alone does me Inflame Glory in that I act does bear a part Glory does fire my Mind as Love my Heart Nothing for me seems Worthy to Pursue But what my Son Attempting Fail'd to do Since he to such an Envied Fame does rise Mine will Burn dimme if it Outshine not his Lat. Oh Sir can you who have such Glory won Grow Jealous of the Glory of your Son King He never Glory Lov'd who could Admit Of any thing which might Outrival it From this Resolve nothing can me remove Nature must yield to Glory and to Love Enter King John and the Prince who lock the Chamber-door Lat. Sir I perceive the Prince and the French King Something Important does them hither bring For they are come alone and lock the gate If Sir conceal'd a while you here will wait Perhaps you 'll learn what in their Loves they 'll Do. King That 's a discourse deserves my list'ning to King Edward and Lord Latymer conceal themselves behind the Scene King Io. 'T is such a Secret as shall clearly show The perfect Friendship which to you I owe Since what to tell my self is scarcely fit I to your Secresie shall now commit Prin. Though nothing can to me more Pleasure give Then Proofs Sir of your Frienship to receive Yet among Friends there may such Secrets be As to disclose them were an Injury But you too well the Laws of Friendship know And are too Generous to use me so King Io. That Friend must to himself appear Unjust Who takes as Injuries the Marks of Trust Yet tell me Sir what can that Secret be Which to Reveal would be an Injury Prin. Shoul'd you have brib'd your Guards to set you free 'T would be an Injury to tell it me For I should be what ever I should do False to my King and Father or to you King Io. Could I corrupt or else his Guards deceive I 'de not return to France without his
it And Sir you are oblig'd by Honours Laws T' excuse Effects where Friendship is the Cause Prin. Admire not that my Rival I reprove For too much Friendship and too little Love But pardon me since I therein express I prize her Right above my Happiness King Ah generous Prince such Vertues shine in you That you in Love as War must all subdue Prin. Since Sir together we resolve to go And from Plantagenet our Fate to know 'T is fit that we no longer should defer To beg her leave this night to wait on her King But e're we know the Sentence she will give Let us from one another Sir receive A mutual Vow that still we Friends will be Prin. That to our Friendship were an injury It is its own Security you know And does more strongly bind than any Vow Against our Friendship Love in vain contends For though we Rivals are wee 'll both be Friends Yet give your Friend that pity he does seek Who to obey Loves Law must Natures break Exeunt King Edward and Lord Latymer King Never an Act so Insolent was done Affronted by my Pris'ner and my Son Both know Plantagenet is lov'd by me And yet my Rivals both presume to be In my Revenging it I 'le lose no Time Their Sufferings shall be equal to their Crime I 'le make them feel that 't is a dangerous thing To dare to court the Mistress of a King Lat. I beg you not for their sakes but your own Let first this storm of Anger be o'reblown ' Ere you determine what is fit to do Then such Resolves you safely may pursue If Patience guide you not they will esteem Your Passion onely Sir does punish them King Delay in the Affront they cast on me Would be not Patience but Stupidity Lat. Consider I beseech you Sir how they The â—…ow'r of Love not Reasons Pow'r obey Such strange Effects that Passion does produce As for all â—…aults Love is its own Excuse Love does our Noblest Faculties controul 'T is in effect the Feaver of the Soul King My Lord such talk as this I 'le not admit Share not their Guilt by thus excusing it But follow them and let them understand They now are both confin'd by my command This night in which their Love they should have shown I am determin'd to declare my own Since by their Love my Pow'r they injure so I by my Pow'r their Love will punish too Exeunt several wayes Plantagenet Delaware Cleorin The Scene Plantagenets Chamber Dela Those Fires of Love have still most 〈◊〉 been Which though they highly Burn'd have Burn'd unseen And under those which I discover'd now For many years my Conquer'd Heart did bow Admire not yet I could so long disguise From your own Sight the Acting of your Eyes For though the Sun on the Earths face but shines Yet by his Influence he does ripen Mines Your Eyes which Shine at least as Bright as He Perform like him things which you could not see But yet this Breast in which your Beauty Shin'd May boast of Love purer than Gold Refin'd Your Eyes alone perform within may Heart More then the Sun on Mines though help'd by Art As it was just my Love I should display So 't is as just your Will I should Obey Which I shall do when you but speak the word Though 't were to pierce my Heart with my own Sword And nothing in that Action I shall fear But to offend your Image which is there Plan. My Lord I think you from your Sister know The Friendship which I always had for you Yet since your words th' occasion does admit I will my self give you a Proof of it Though your declaring of your Love for me Is in it self no little Injury Yet for my Friendships sake I 'le pardon you If you th' Offence will not again pursue Dela Madam your Justice should this Usage blame You cloud your Cruelty with Friendships name As Judges to the Tortur'd Respite give To lengthen Pain but not to make them live Such Usage yet were for that Servant sit Who durst Adore you and not tell you it Though 't is some Guilt to say I Die for you Yet is that Guilt Madam a Duty too Ah Madam sure you ought not to deny To take the Debt or bid the Debter die You Sentence is too Heavy or too Light You either should me Kill or Save me quite Plan. Since by your self my Lord I now am told Your Love for me is more refin'd than Gold I 'le put it to a Tryal but so vast As never yet that Courted Metal past Know then my Love for which so much you strive Is not alas in my own Pow'r to give The Prince of Wales Dela In Pity say no more Fate never had a Curse like this in store Rais'd to the Charming'st Hope of all the World Into Despair I now from thence am hurl'd You keep that Word to which your self you ty'd And Try me more then ever Gold was Try'd That Glitterring Earth when it has pass'd the Fire Is the Refiners Wonder and Desire But I having Loves Fiery Tryal past Like the Neglected Dross away am cast Cleo. Oh Brother had not Love your Mind deprav'd You 'd think you were not Cast away but Sav'd The Crime you act she calmly does reform Dela Ah! such a Calm is worse than any Storm Cleo. How can the Princess more obliging prove Than to give Friendship when she cannot Love Dela Oh Sister he who to her Love aspires To nothing less can limit his Desires Loves Pow'r must always Friendships pow'r outdo For Love at once is Love and Friendship too Cleo. You should with Joy what she bestows receive She Gives in Friendship all she has to Give And to convince you hers is Great and True She the first hour her Secrets Trusts with you Dela Since to Receive my Love she does deny She by her Anger ought to make me Die That 's the best Proof of Friendship she can give And therefore that alone I can receive He for her Love does grant himself unfit Who can be won t' outlive the loss of it Plan. What I have yet perform'd can but pretend To let you see how much I am your Friend But that my Lord which now I do Design Shall let you see how much I think you mine For by your Councel and Assistance too The life of all my Hopes I will pursue Admire not Shame thus in my Face prevails When I confess I love the Prince of Wales For though th' Affront which I from you receiv'd Does make me blush that after it I liv'd Yet I whether by Weakness or by Fate Still Love that Prince whom I ought most to Hate And how that Love with Honour to pursue Is that in which I ask advice of you Dela starts For he esteems you in such high Degree As you the fittest are to give it me Dela Oh Fate Oh Love why do you both agree To give such Beauty
so much Flame express As sure you could not but his Passion see Cleo. That 's not enough he should have told it me But what soe'r his Proofs of Love have been By me Dear Friend alas they were not seen For I so fear'd that I might act amiss In my own Love that I ne're minded his Blushes a Womans Passion may reveal But Men their Passion by their Words should tell Her Could he your Love more Generously seek Then to Deserve it and yet Nothing Speak Cleo. Rather what more could he have done amiss Then Lose my Love by so Concealing his A Love that is at once both Great and Strong While it doth Bind the Heart Sets Free the Tongue And lest that mine should make me Faulty prove I to my Honour Sacrific'd my Love So I did fear his Merit was so Great That asking Nothing he might All Things get Her How cruell is your Vertue or your Fate Which makes your Love produce th' Effects of Hate Cleo. Aretus yet more Cruelty does show That durst Love me yet durst not tell me so Her You doe him Double Wrong since his Respect You first Mistake then Punish as Neglect Such awfull Flames you in his Heart have bred As he thinks Silence ought his Love to plead He but defers to Speak what he does feel Till by his Actions you his Love may tell And to declare his Passion does delay Only to show it you the Noblest Way Cleo. Fatall Delay the Fatal'st that could be It loses me to him and him to me Yet such a High Respect to him I pay That on My Self I 'l Punish his Delay And since my Promise is to Tryphon made To Breake it Love it self shall not perswade That which for me your Friendship made me doe My Honour makes me now Perform for you Your Rivall I will never be again Her I for Aretus did a Love but feign That in your Blushes Madam I might see What by your Modesty was hid from me Yet had I lov'd I 'd not that Love pursue Since you best merit him as he does you But how can you so lust to Honour prove And yet resolve to be Unjust to Love Ah you much more then he have done amiss You prize your Word more then your Flame and his And by a Sacred Bond your self you Tye To him you hate and him you love you Fly Cleo I owe him less then I doe owe my Flame And fly not from his Love but from my Shame She to her Honour too Unjust does prove Who dares not value it above her Love Press me not then to Do what I should Shun Rather then be Unjust I 'l be Undone Those who are lost while Virtue they pursue In their Destruction find their Comfort too They goe out Enter Demetrius and Seleucus The SCENE Demetrius's Apartment Sel. Those were the Words which between us did pass Bul I perceive some Sadness in your Face Dem. My Heart and Face doe then but ill agree Since nothing could more welcome seem to me Sel. I cannot guess from whence your Joy should rise Since Tryphon told me 't was by your Advice That he did offer her to be his Queen And which is more that you employ'd had been To Court her to be Consort to his Throne Dem. All this and more then this I freely owne For I not only woo'd her to be Queen But her Consent to be it I did winn But why at this Seleucus do you start Sel. Alas what you have said has pierc'd my Heart Yet from my Friend I 'l not my self disguise The Charming Light of Cleopatra's Eyes Over my Soule the Victory did win But to herself this has a Secret been For my Demetrius I did judg it fit Not Words but Service should discover it That High Respect I did resolve was due To such a Beauty and such a Passion too Methinks at this which I have spoke you start I think her Beauties too have pierc'd your Heart Dem. How can you think for Tryphon I 'd appear If I my self had been in Love with her Sel. But why should you such Satisfaction show That he declines what you advis'd him to Ah sure your Liberty she did surprise Since first to Court her you did him advise I see what Beauty has made Tryphon doe What it has wrought in him it may in you And what I said such Change in you did move As I have Cause t'impute it to your Love Dem. If any Change does in my Looks appear 'T is not I vow that Im in Love with her Sel. Give me then leave there my Address to make Dem. That 's what I cannot Give but you may Take Sel. Neither for Tryphon nor your self to woo And yet deny me leave to court her too I cannot guess what 't is that you intend Dem. I were unfit to be Seleucus Friend Should I act otherwise â—…en now I doe For he who to one Friend does prove untrue That he may gaine another Friend's Esteem Deserves too justly to lose both of them Though I am yours above what I can say Yet I must be it too in Honours way In Friendship every other Tenure's ill By that mine has been held and shall be still Sel. Fate ore my hopes another Cloud does send I 'm Rival'd and by one that is your Friend But may you not acquaint me with his Name Who is my Fellow Martyr in this Flame Dem. No I 'l be just to both he shall not know You Rivall him or that he Rivals you Yet both thus farr shall be oblieg'd to me From Tryphon's Rivallship I 'l set you free But did he not acquaint you with her Name Who in his Heart has lighted such a Flame Sel. So vast a Cause of Joy to me it prov'd That he no longer Cleopatra lov'd As I did not remember to inquire Who this new Passion did in him inspire Dem. By what he said could you not gues at it Sel. Ah! he who Cleopatra's Love could quit The Pow'r of Love forever must forswear For could he Love who should he love but her Sure this new Love is but a Love of State But he for our return too much may waite Dem. I long to know to whom he does Submit As much as he that I 'l consent to it Exeunt Enter Nicanor Stratonice Aretus and Irene The SCENE Nicanor's Pallace Ire Sir that Demetrius may your Pardon winn That he made Tryphon court her for his Queen He bad me tell you every way hee 'l try To make that Love which he gave Life to Dy And hopes himself this night to let you know He has perform'd what he has promis'd you Nic. I at this Promise so much Joy admit As nought can Heighten but his doing it Stra. What e'r Demetrius hopes yet Sir I fear Tryphon will not decline his Love for her Nic. Demetrius Pow'r with him you know is Great Stra. The Pow'r of Beauty Sir is Greater yet And though th' Usurper were more fierce and
So many heaps of Frenchmen there were slain As into Hills they seem'd to change the Plain And all those Clouds their Horses feet had rais'd Were with the Blood of their dead Riders laid Two Lords arm'd like King Iohn were in the Field And by our Princes hand they both were kill'd In doing which he did prodigious things For though they were Not yet they fought like Kings While in the Field wars bloody Game was plaid Guesclin did sally and was Prisoner made King In your Relation you omit one thing I fain would hear 't is how you took the King Dela Sir In the heat of Battel 't was my chance To fight with and to take King Iohn of France 'T was Fortune onely favour'd me in this King Your Modesty great as your Valour is For here my Soâ—… to me at large does write The Honour which you purchas'd in the Fight And all those brave Attempts which you did make Before your Regal Prisoner you did take Nothing which you perform'd from me is hid Dela He writes what I 'de have Done not what I Did When the French King into my pow'r did fall I did conduct him to our General Who then was giving of Rewards to those Who took two hundred Colours from your Foes Amidst those Glorious Trophies Sir he stood His Armour cover'd all with dust and blood Those sights afresh the Captive King did wound King None in a Nobler Posture could be found Dela When to the Prince I nam'd King Iohn of France He hastily to meet him did advance And to his Prisoner did as humbly bow As Sir he could have done had it been You. King He did therein what did a Prince befit Fierce in the Fight and Humble after it Dela The King then said since Fortune does decree I should be taken by my Enemy Part of the wounds she gives she also cures Since now I fall into such hands as Yours I am your Prisoner Sir and come to know The end you aim at by my being so The Prince in whom all Vertues do reside Pitying the Kings misfortune thus reply'd That mighty Prince to which I most pretend Is from an Enemy you 'll turn a Friend And if you 'll grant what now is begg'd by me I 'le prize it more then this dayes Victory These words the Prince with such an Accent grac'd As by the King he closely was embrac'd Who told him in this Action you have shown You have more ways to Conquer me then one And Sir to prove this does my Mind subdue That which you ask of Me I beg of You. King This last Success transcends the other Three 'T is more to Gain then Beat an Enemy Dela All things to tell you too much time would take But then so strict a Friendship they did make As Our Prince vow'd he would sollicit you To grant the King a Peace and Freedom too Then by a Generosity Sublime He did that night at sopper wait on Him By which that Vanquish'd Monarch well might boast He there Receiv'd more Honour then he Lost. King My Son in this did such High Worth express As I more value It then his Sccess Dela The List of all â—…hose 〈◊〉 which we took Are by the Prince presented in this Book Gives the King a Book All things secur'd which we had won by force He with King Iohn for England steer'd his course The wind so favour'd him as yesterday He safely landed in Southampton-Bay From whence he sent me Post to let you know They both tomorrow Sir will wait on you King For their Reception every thing prepare Which may your joys and your Respects declare I 'le treat this Royal Pris'ner at a rate Proportion'd to his Title not his Fate My Actions not my Words shall let you see How much brave Youth You are esteem'd by Me. Exeunt The Scene is a Garden and a Grotta in which Alizia Peirce lies as in a slumber Enter Sevina who playes upon the Lute when she has done Alizia rises embraces her and sayes Aliz. Ah my dear Friend it is in vain you strive To give that Ease which onely Death can give Sev. This is the day you promis'd I should know That Fatal Sorrow under which You bow I thought the Charms of Musick might abate The Grief which springs from what you will relate Aliz. Too mean a thought you of my Grief admit In thinking any thing can Lessen it Who would not all delights of Life decline That had a Soul so out of Tune as Mine Sev. Do not from such a Friend your self refrain My Help may put your Soul in Tune again 'T is to your Promise Madam that I trust Let not your Sorrow make you prove Unjust If Grief should make you to such Wrong submit You will Deserve as well as Suffer it Eliz. My Fatal Promise why do you pursue Though Old Griefs when related turn to New Yet you no longer shall of me complain I 'le rather Heighten then Deserve my Pain You know Dear Friend when to this Court I came My Eyes did all our bravest youths Inflame And in that happy state I liv'd a while When Fortune did betray me with a smile Or rather Love against my Peace did fight And to revenge his Power which I did ssight Made Edward our Victorious Monarch be One of those Many who did Sigh for Me. All other Flames but His I did deride They rather made my Trouble than my Pride But this when told me made me quickly know Love is a God to which all Hearts must bow Sev. 'T is certain every Creature that hath Breath Is no more priviledg'd from Love than Death Think you what is your Duty is your Crime Or else do you repent you Conquer'd Him Aliz. Oh had you heard in what a Mourning way He the first time his Passion did display And had you seen that Grief and matchless Grace Which did at once Cloud and Adorn his Face You had admir'd such Differing Charmes to see But more admir'd had they not Conquer'd Me. Sev. I was your Confident in that Bright Fire Which Both did in each others breast Inspire A Fire might teach all Lovers how to Burn Then sure 't is something else which makes you Mourn Aliz. Oh if he had been still to that Bright Flame As Faithful and as Constant as I am Justice her self no Fire could higher prize But that Blest Fire in which the Martyr Dies But he is False Sev. If what you say were true Madam my Friendship must have seen it too 'T is Jealousie which has usurp'd Love's place Aliz. Love has more piercing eyes then Friendship has From the Suns sight you may the World remove Sooner than hide from Lovers change in Love His Glorious Flame from me in Clouds is set And he Adores the fair Plantagenet To that Bright Widow he his Heart does yield Sev. Alas since her Brave Lord in France was kill'd She onely doth the Pow'r of Grief obey Aliz. How soon does Love wipe
yields to one by whom he was Betray'd Pr. I glory more my Love that Wrong o'recame Then I can Grieve that I so Injur'd am What to my Flame a Remedy can grant When her Inconstancy that Power does want I find do what she will in me she 'll Reign Her Eyes give deeper Wounds then her Disdain Dela What her Disdain did want the Power to do Let Honours Dictates now perswade you to And Sir to arm you for this just Assault Know she has said her Mariage was your Fault Ah 't was enough the Injury to do Without attributing the Guilt to You. Malice it self at nothing worse could aim She kills your Love and then would kill your Fame And Sir to shew her Fault all Faults surpass She of the First makes use to act the Last Pr. Ah do not think this can my Love subdue Since what she charg'd me with I wish were True I at my Miseries would scarce repine Had I the Pow'r to make her Failings mine My Love for her would make me be content To have her Guilt and my own Punishment Yet I have nam'd but half the Weight I bear My Father is in Love with her I hear And I am much mistaken if last Night She the French King Subdu'd not at first Sight By which I find I must the Field maintain Against my King my Friend and her Disdain But though worse Crosses should my Hopes befall My pow'rfull Love would Overcome them all Disswade me not but try for me to win The Friendship of thy Sister Cleorin She most of all my Conquerours mind does sway Reply not if thou Lov'st Me but Obey Exit Prince Delaware alone Dela Some Fatal Planet at my Birth did Reign Since all things which should Cure Augment my pain My Sister who at last for me did get To be the Favorite to Plantagenet Which from Despair till now my Soul did free My Prince makes use of now to ruine me My Love he aims not onely to destroy But to obtain that End does Me employ Not doing it I Disobedience show And if I do it I my Love o'rethrow That Secret dying Kent reveal'd to me Which rais'd my Hopes now makes my Misery My Mistress I betray while 't is conceal'd And should betray my Love were it reveal'd What ever happens I must Wretched prove For I must Lose or not Deserve her Love Thus from Wars Dangers Crown'd with Bayes I rise Onely to fall the greater Sacrifice Yet of a Remedy I will not doubt Love which has Led me in may Lead me out Exeunt The End of the Second Act. THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE is King John's Apartment Enter King John and a Page Page THe fair Valeria has her Brother sent T' attend you Sir in your imprisonment His Sister from the Duke of Lancaster Obtain'd a Pass which brought him safely here He is but newly lighted at your Gate And begs your leave that he on you may walt King Valeria's Brother sure it cannot be Page Sir I but say the words he said to me King Which of her Brothers os't Page That Brother Sir Who e're his face was hurt resembled het King Call him Exit Page How can I on the Brother look Whose Sister is by me so soon forsook But who the Bright Plantagenet shall see Must be unjust or else must pardon me Enter the Page with Valeria's Brother whom the King embraces King You are so like your Sister I should know You were her Brother though none told me so She may increase my Debt as she thinks â—…t But nothing can the Sence I have of it The Battel I have lost I hope that She Ascribes to my Ill Fate and not to Me Fortune alas too Tyrannous would prove If what has lost my Crown should lose her Love Val. Bro. Since for your Mistress you of her made Choice She at the loss Sir does almost rejoyce For it presents her with a proof that shows Her Love is past the reach of Fortunes Blows She 'll grieve at nothing your ill Fate can do Unless at that which fevers her from you King Never Affection to this height did rise It proves her Love is matchless as her Eyes And makes me scarce repine at what I bear Since it does shew how I am lov'd by her Val. Bro. She of her Love a higher Proof does show In what she has commanded me to do For Sir She knows that England still affords Beauties which are Resistless as her Swords And has enjoyn'd me if you here should be In Love with any one more Fair then She I should assist you Sir in your Amours And Sink her Happiness to Heighten yours King She does at once in what she bid you do Declare her Love and run no hazard too For he who once is made Valeria's prize Is arm'd against all Wounds from others Eyes Enter Guesclin The King goes hastily to meet him to the other side of the Valeria's Brother list'ning to them 'T is with impatience Guesclin I have staid To learn from you the Progress you have made Guesc. In vain I try by Presents Sir to win The Assistance of the Beauteous Clâ—…in She as I 'me told was preingag'd before King Whoever told you that could tell you more Guesc. By Gifts I won a Lady who of late The Honour on your Mistress had to wait Who told me and assur'd me it was true The Prince of Wales does love your Mistress too King In this my Cruel Fate on me does send The greatest curse which I could apprehend Must I the Prince or else my Fortune blame Who thus does rival me in Love and Fame Guesc. How can you justly Sir this News deplore Since I but tell you what you thought before 'T is the least Wonder does in Love befall To think a Mistress is Ador'd by all I as a Lover to that Thought was bound But now that Thought a Certainty is found Which justly in my Soul does grief infuse Guesc. She has acquainted me with stranger News She told me Sir this is the second time The Bright Plantagenet was lov'd by him He by Despair to the French Wars was sent She leaving him to wed the Earl of Kent But she the cause of it could not relate King How strange and intricate a Pow'r is Fate The Prince of Wales finds in a slighted Flame The Noblest of all wayes to raise his Fame Glory does heal what Love made him endure And his Dispair presents him with his Cure He mist her Love a while that he might be More worthy of it by his Conquering Me A happy Planet at his Birth did Reign A seeming Loss brings him a double Gain While Fate with me so cruelly does act As by one Loss a greater I contract Successless Love his way to Fame does prove And loss of Fame does make my way to Love Guesc. You wrong your Vertue by this strange Debate The Brave are still the makers of their Fate 'T is onely Sir those men whose Souls
Blood then shed a Tear But those true Show'rs wept by the Prince of Wales To judge him Innocent with me prevails Aliz. This does but shew the King what he should Do He need but Weep to be judg'd Guiltless too Or if yet Guilty held with little Pain A Lovers Tears will wash off any Stain Plan. Though your not Crediting what I have spoke My just Resentment does too much provoke Yet that you may my Friendship clearly see Evâ—…n while you shew that you have none for me Since what I said has not prevail'd with you I will Convince you by this Solemn Vow I swear the King nor any e're to me Mention'd that Love which makes your Jealousie And should he e're for me a Passion have Rather than wed the King I 'le wed my Grave These Vows your Friendship should to me restore Sev. You cannot Ask nor can she Promise more Cleo. Such Vowes as these should your Belief perswade And Friendship thus Renew'd is Stronger made Aliz. Ah Madam now my Trouble is more high Then it was lately by my Jealousie You could impose no Penance so Sublime As thus to Shew me and Forgive my Crime What ends one Pain a greater does begin Since all my Grief for your imagin'd Sin Did not so much my wounded Mind Subdue As does the Grief of having Injur'd you Yet who can wonder that I Jealous grew Of so much Beauty and such Vertue too The Perfectness of both you now have shown The Last has pardon'd what the First has done Plan. If what I did might to Reward pretend You give the greatest being still my Friend Embraces her Aliz. And may I be depriv'd of Life and Fame When e're again I lose that Glorious Name Exeunt Enter King Edward and Lord Latymer as in Discourse Laty. To me th' assurance she did twice repeat King What! that my Son Adores Plantagenet Laty. And with a Passion Sir that does appear More fierce then that which he first paid to her King Ah can he be so mean to Love again One who his former Passion did Disdain One who was Guilty of so strange a Crime As to give Kent that Heart she Promis'd him And that her Scorn she might the more Display Wedded a Rival on his wedding day At least that day which was for him design'd Laty. Love never was to Reasons Rules confin'd For 't is a Passion Sir which onely knows Such Laws as on it self it will Impose King But Honour should oblige him to Abhor One by whose Guilt he was Betray'd before Laty. A Lover thinks that no Dishonour lies In twice submitting to his Mistress Eyes We soon may Love and Fortune reconcile When either of them after Frowning Smile King Oh Latymer the News thou dost impart Does with a Double wound afflict my Heart First that my Son by such a Love should dare To blast those Glories he has won in War Then that his Flames should be to her Address'd Without whose Love I never can be Blest Laty. starts Why dost thou start is it so strange a thing That so much Beauty should Subdue thy King Rather admire I did not sooner bow To such Bright Eyes then that I do it now The Greatest Men that e're the World did Grace Have still allow'd to Love the Highest Place Caesar who gained many a Glorious Field Yet did to Cleopatra's Beauties yield Laty. Had he not won many a Glorious Field That Love had been but as his Weakness held His Conquests make us think his Soul Sublime And many Victories Excuse one Crime King Whatever in my Love is judg'd amiss I 'le expiate by Actions Great as his Laty. But how Sir can you well Condemn your Son For Doing that which by your self is Done Since both of you Purpose the same Design King His Case my Lord does differ much from mine For though we both Plantagenet Adore Yet he has been Betray'd by her before The difference is exceeding great you see She has Affronted him but Conquer'd me Love is at worst a Noble Frailty thought But Love when Scorn'd is justly held a Fault Laty. May I be Pardon'd if I speak my heart King what ' ere you think you freely may impart Laty. May not the Prince then Sir as justly say You are more faulty to Alizia You cease to love her in whose Heart you Reign'd And he but loves her who his Love disdain'd He with the best of Loves extreams is curst But you seem guilty of the very worst His Fault is Sir the lesser of the two You too Inconstant are and she too True King O do not wound me by reminding things Which rather Trouble than Repentance brings Laty. The Fault which you Confess will you Pursue Kiâ—…g We should not Sin and yet we dayly do I owe Alizia more then you can say But what I owe her I want pow'r to pay Plantagenet should onely Wonders do She makes my Fault and does excuse it too Enter to them the Prince and Delaware Prince Sir I am come to make you a Request Which if deny'd I never can be Blest 'T is a Request I beg you to Admit And beg your Pardon too for making it King I 'le grant what e're you ask though ne're so great If t does not concern Plantagenet Prin. Sir It relates to her in some degree But it exceeding'y relates to Me. King Then you are come I doubt to ask again My leave that she may twice your Love disdain Since there is nothing else I can believe Unfit for you to Ask or me to Give And yet that Sin Honour should so detest As you should never make it your request Prin. If 't is a Sin to love her Sir I fear That every Man must Sin that Looks on her King Loving of her which is her Beauties Due From any other is a Sin in you Prin. How can it Sir by you be justly thought That what is Mandkinds Duty is my Fault King You know what Scorn she did to you dispence And in such ways as Height'ned the Offence Without the Blemish of that double Stain She had within your Heart deserv'd to Reign Prin. But had not I through those Fierce Tryals run I had not Merited what I had Won King Too far she in those Guilty Tryals went When she abandon'd you to Marry Kent Prin. His Fate is Nobler who Deserves but Fails Then his who Merits not and yet Prevails King But those Fierce Tryals which she us'd you to Makes her Incapable to Merit you For should she love you now 't would be too late The Wrongs of Honour what can expiate Prin. Her Love when e're Conferr'd will Overpay The Affronts of Scorn and Tortures of Delay Against her Beauties 't were the greatest Fault To think her Love can be too dearly bought King Rather that cruell'st Injury she gave Should all your Scorn and all your Hatred have Then do not Hope I ever will allow That by my leave she twice should Injure you Ask all those
still a Conquest most prefer Plan. They Tyrants are who to usurp delight King Who has most Bâ—…y has 〈◊〉 Love most right Plan. You wrong your Mistris while my Love you seek And I my Friend in hearing what you speak King To Love another after you are seen A greater wrong Madam in me had been I fully know the great debt which is due To your fair Eyes and to your Vâ—…tues too And it had been below them to have gain'd A Heart in which no Beauty e're has reign'd But mine before had yielded to the Pow'rs Of conquering Charmes which none excel but yours What greater merit can my Passion shew Then thus to leave Alizia to love you This of its vastness is a proof sublime Plan. Ah what you call your Merit is your Crime Since perfect Love in Justice must excel Falshood and her together cannot dwell King That perfect Love is just I grant is true And I prove mine is Just in Loving you Your Eyes which act the Change you so abhor Are my security I 'le change no more Since to the highest Beauty I pretend Blame not if by Degrees I reach that end And as my Love that blessing does pursue So now I find it onely shines in you Enter Alizia and Sevina Aliz. This Duty daily must be paid by me And though 't is late She starts back amaz'd seeing the King Oh Heaven what is 't I see Ah! would these Eyes rather than see this Sight Had been clos'd up by an eternal night King What is it Madam which you thus bâ—…oan Aliz. Can you ask that since you two are alone And at an hour so Guilty as it showes The Falseness of her Friendship and your Vows To me this Sight so vast a Grief does give As makes me wish rather to Die than Live King And Madam 't is some cause of Grief in me To find in you so strange a Jealousie Aliz. If you who do the Wrong Sir can admit Of Grief What then must I that Suffer it But Sir your cause of Grief shall be remov'd My Death shall shew you soon how well I lov'd To Plan. Go treacherous Woman False as thou art Fair Those Hopes you rais'd on your wrong'd Friends Despair Shall soon be blasted for my injur'd Ghost Shall still pursue you for those Joyes I lost Where e're you go revenge it shall invoke And shew you still that Heart your Falshood broke You still shall see it or shall hear it groan And it shall haunt you in his Bed and Throne She offers to go out Plan. Oh go not yet away Sev. At â—…east be pleas'd to hear what she can say Aliz. Whatever she can tell I do dispise I 'le not believe her Words above mine Eyes And I have seen so much as I â—…ow fly To seek out Death my onely Remedy Exeunt Alizia and Sevina Plan. So well her height'ned Spirit Sir I know As what she Threatens she too soon will do If by your instant Kindness or my Care We do not stop th' Effects of her Dispair Forgive me if I leave you to attend The Debts I owe to a Dispairing Friend The King stays her King Oh leave not your Adorer to pursue One who does hate you and usurp'd your due If to receive my Passion you decline Even her Dispair will be less great then mine Plan. Detaâ—…n me not She 'll die through our delay King And I shal die should you thus go away Plan. She needs my help King But does not it implore Plan. Her Case deserves it King Mine deserves it more Plan. Her Grief does wound me King So my Love should do Plan. Your Love 's her debt King 'T is onely due to you A great skreik within Plan. That Fatal Skreik must cut off our debate For my best speed I fear will come too late She breaks from the King and goes out hastily King She 's gone and left me in a deeper Grief Then her's to whom she flies to give Relief She does her Hatred to my Love prefer To me she 's Cruel but she 's Kind to her 'T is Fortune onely or resistless Fate Which governs all the World in Love and Hate The King stands musing a while Valeria's Brother thinking him gone comes from behind the Bed The King lifts up his eyes sees him and starts back Valeria's Brother runs into the Bed again King A Man and here and at this time of night How quickly did He vanish from my sight Does she a Visitant like this admit Though my bad Angel 't were I 'le speak to it The King draws his Sword and goes towards the Bed Who art thou and what is it brought thee here The King plucks Valeria's Brother out of the Bed who trembles but answers not His Tongue is ty'd by Guiltiness or Fear Prepare for Death or else resolve my Doubt He 's silent still what Ho who waiâ—…s without Enter two Courtiers running Since my Commands thy silence cannot break I 'le find ouâ—… Tortures which shall make thee speak Seize on this Mute and with him follow me They seize on Valeria's Brother Why should the Thrones of Kings so envy'd be When such strange Griefs assault me in one hour As make my Sorrows greater than my Pow'r Exeunt The End of the Fourth Act. THE FIFTH ACT. Enter King Edward and Lord Latymer King I Have in short told you my cause of Grief Which is as Just as 't is above Relief Ah! to forsake one in whose heart I Reign'd To Court another who my Flames disdain'd And such a Lovely Youth thus hid by her Are loads too heavy for my Soul to bear Lat. Though Sir the Fair Plantagenet may be Too justly blam'd for one Inconstancy Yet in all else her Vertue such hath been As to suspect it Sir would turn a Sin King Oh she who could for Kent my Son forgo What is it after which she might not do She must have given that Love for which she prest Were not her Heart by other Fires possest I 'le not defame her since she bears my name But she for ever has supprest my Flame Enter Sevina hastily Sev. If with your Love Sir for Alizia You have not thrown your Pity too away Be pleas'd to see where She Despairing lies And with your Hand vouchsafe to close her Eyes King Madam what is 't which her Dispair does move Sev. Oh ask not that when she has lost your Love She did a while that Misery suspect But when the certainty she did detect She had but that our strength was her Relief By one dire blow ended her Life and Grief When from her Hand the Weapon we did wrest Suâ—…h storms of Sighs did crow'd out of her Brest And from her Eyes such streams of Tears did flow As we repented that we stop'd the blow For sure the loss of Life is a less Ill Then that Despair which does possess her still But though we did one sort of Death prevent Yet she on dying Sir is so intent
you I me more concern'd to give Proofs of such Love then I 'me concern'd to Live Which justly you might doubt if after I Did know I lost your Love I should not die King Ah the best Proof you of your Love can give Is that you 'l Pardon me and that you 'l Live Has my first Crime made me so black in Sin As my Repentance no Relief can win Do not believe I did the Sin commit Or else believe my Penitence for it Let not one Fault which is already past Have greater force then Love which still shall last Ah! sure you could not thus your Death pursue If you believ'd what I have Vow'd is true But all those Doubts intirely to o'rethrow My Lord I charge you instantly to go Speaking to Latymer And let at once King Iohn and my Son free Who were the Pris'ners of my Jealousie Lat. 'T is a Command I joyfully obey King I Charge you do it and without delay Exit Latymer That King Madam may safely court you now To Plantagenet For I before you and Alizia vow My flame for you shall ne're revive againe And my Alizia onely here shall Reign Plan. In what Sir you have said and vow'd I find To me you 'r Iust and to Alizia Kind Nor can your Solemn sacred Vow Sir be More pleasing to my Friend then 't is to me I hope that name Madam I may resume And safely keep it for the time to come Aliz. Heaven knows my Sorrows never were more high Then when I thought that you had layd it by And yet my Ioy that you forgive my Sin Is no was vast as e're my Griefs have been Twice now your Friendship you to me restore May you refuse it if I need it more Plan. No fear of loseing yours I can admit Since I will ne're do that may forfeit it Madam 't is fit I leave you with the King That he your Cure may to perfection bring Exit Plantagenet King Ah Madam why in her should Friendship be Of greater pow'r then Love or Grief for me Since Friendship her Resentments does subdue Let Love for me as Pow'rful be with you Madam to you my Heart this Suit prefers Which needs your Pardon more then you did hers To this sad State your King alas is brought Aliz. Sir I forgave you when you saw your Fault And I repine not at my Lingring Death Which lets me Seale it with my Dying Breath No Proof of Love could ever be more high Then to forgive th' offence which makes one Dye King If you forgive me yet your Death pursue You will at once Forgive and Kill me too Loves Pow'r you wrong while at this rate you grieve For Love should heal worse Wounds then it can give Aliz. I can alas Sir but too truely say T is only Love which makes me disobey For I should not deserve the Love you give If after you recall'd it I could Live King And I of Life should too unworthy be If I could Live after you Dy'd for me Your Love for me by Living must be shown For you to save my Life must keep your own And if my Words you give no credit to What I have Vow'd my Grief will make me Doe Aliz. Ah then all thoughts of Dying I 'll decline Since you have vow'd your Life depends on mine But if again to her your Love you give My just Despair will be above Repreive King Oh Madam you will wound my Soule again If such a fatal Doubt you entertain My Grief for the great Crime I did commit Will still preserve me from repeating it By all those Vows which bind me most I swear I 'l still love you and never more love her The Scene closes The SCENE is Plantagenets Chamber Plantagenet the Prince Cleorin and Delaware Plan. OH what has been reveal'd by Delaware His Freindship showes but heightens my Despair It makes me Guilty Sir to such Degree As you 'd be Guilty shou'd you pardon me The Knowledg of my Fault so wounds my Mind As only I in Death my Ease can find Prince Alas your Grief more cruel is to me Then Madam your suppos'd Inconstancy For to such Height my Ardent love is grown As your Greif wounds me more then does my owne You 'le punish by a Sorrow so Sublime My Innocence more then you did my Crime But though the Word of Innocence I nam'd Yet only I can be with Iustice blam'd For had I not that Fatal Letter writ Plan. Oh Sir I cannot such Discourse admit For while requests I for your Pardon make Alas my Guilt you on your self would take When all the Guilt to me alone is due Who did believe a Letter more then you Prin. Alas have you Design'd to let me see That every way you mean to ruine me For while you did suspect my Innocence You to my Rival did your love Dispence Ah Madam now that Heaven has thought it fit To make it evident you punish it For by these pretious Teares which now you spill You make me wish I were thought Guilty still Plan. Oh Sir what does your Innocency prove Makes me too Guilty to deserve your Love Prin. Ah be not cruel to this strange degree Let not my Innocence my Ruin be No Reparation could be reckon'd more Then what the injur'd person does emplore But you will make if this be your intent Your Reparation my worst Punishment A Punishment so cruel and so high As it transcends the imagin'd Injury Yet if you think that you amiss have done Let me then name the Reparation ' TisMadam that you 'l never think so more But give me leave your Beauties to Adore Plan. Heaven Sir does know and so does Cleorin That while I thought you guilty of that Sin Which only my Misfortune made me do I Lov'd you Sir and Lov'd none else but you Prin. And Heaven does know and so does Delaware That while I thought you Guilty as you 're Fair I did not you but my ill Fortune blame And still preserv'd for you a deathless Flame To Delaware My Lord to her and me this Iustice do As to oppose me if I speak not true Dela Sir you for her did still such Love express As Heaven knows too I griev'd it was not less Prin. Ah if you give belief to what we say Doe not refuse the perfect Love I pay Plan. Alas a greater Sin I should commit Then that I mourn for by accepting it But all the world will know that I repent When on my self I lay this Punishment Which Sir by Iustice dictates I have chose Since 't is the highest which I can impose Your Glory Sir would wither if not dye Should you Love one so guilty Sin as I. The penance I design'd let me pursue T is what Sir on my knees I beg of you She offers to kneel but is hindred by the Prince Prin. Ah doe not doubly thus my Soul subdue By such denyals and submission too But to my Suit be pleas'd to
condescend Or else my Grief my tortur'd Life shall end Dela Such were the Arts us'd by the Earl of Kent As both seem'd Guilty yet were Innocent Cleo. Madam while you such scrupulous Vertue show The Prince may of your Love suspicious grow That moveing sorrow which he does express Invites your kindness now to make it cease Plan. Sooner then you such Grief Sir shall admit I will obey what ever you think fit I rather Sir will an Injustice doe To my own self then seem unkind to you Prin. Ah Madam in those happy words I find You are to me at once both Just and Kind No Satisfaction e're was hop'd by me But that you might that Innocency see Which Delaware's great Friendship made appear Who is thereby for ever setled here Where Madam next to you he still shall grow Dela Ah could a Prince ought to his Subject owe I might then think to me you are in debt Prin. To me your Friendship has bin always great Yet I must Tax it of a seeming wrong Since this blest Secret you conceal'd so long Cleo. What Justice does this seeming wrong excuse Shall Sir present you with more welcome news While your great Father was in Love with her He as a Subject Sir had cause to fear A Secret so important to declare As might perhaps have caus'd a Civill War But Sir now that the King has this blest day Resum'd his Love for fair Alizia And has by Vowes which oft he did repeat Renounc'd his Passion for Plantagenet Which from her sef this very hour we know My Brother lost no time to tell it you Prin. These charming Words which now from you I hear His Justice shews and ends my greatest Fear Nothing from Heaven was left me to implore But that my Father Rivall'd me no more Cleo. What fitter time can Fortune give to you Then thus your Ends in Love still to pursue Lose not one Moment of it for perhaps Those Conquering Eyes may make him soon relaps Prin. What you advise your care of me does show Forgive me Madam If I leave you now Since 't is so vast a Blessing to implore As granted I shall never leave you more Plan. That Grant the noblest Blessing Sir would be Could it make you as happy as 't will me The Prince offers to goe out Dela Stay Sir I scorn your Goodness to abuse Or own your Pardon to her Feign'd Excuse Fear made me not the Secret Sir conceal Nor the King's Change the Secret now reveal For those were Motives of such mean degree As Sir I blush that they were nam'd for me Those Reasons Sir of which shee did make use Obtain'd but did not Merit your Excuse My guilty Doubts a while have kept me Dumb But Love and Honour have those doubts oâ—…e'come Plan. My Cleorin what will your Brother doe Cleo. I am as ignorant of it as you Dela Now all the Truth shall be to you reveal'd For 't is too Glorious Sir to be conceal'd Know Sir those Beauties which did conquer you Became while Kent did live my Conquerors too At Poitiers they did me to Glory bring And made me grace your Triumph with a King And though some Honour I acquir'd that day Yet Sir that prosperous Action I may say Did on no score to me so welcome prove As making me more fit to Court her Love Rais'd by this thought for England Sir I came Where soon her Beauties did revive your Flame And Fortune against me was so much bent As you your Rival made your Confident And by a Cruelty unknown to you You in your Love my help Commanded too Prin. I â—…m amaz'd my Lord at what you say Dela Though that Command I wanted pow'r to Obey Yet â—…eaven my witness is how much I strove To make my Duty overcome my Love But when I found by what I did endure That she alone the Wounds she gave could cure I meant the Secret never to disclose And when your Father did your Flame oppose I try'd your Love by reason to subdue But that attempt Sir proveing fruitles too Inspir'd by Love or guided by Despair I to her self my Passion did declare Cleo. Of this Discovery I Fear the event Plan. It merits Wonder and not Punishment Dela But when I for her Favour Sir did sue Alas she said her Love was given to you So given as nothing could recall her Grant Since your forsakeing her that pow'r did want And in her Words and Accents made appear Her Flames for you did equall yours for her Convinc'd by this that following my Design Would blast your joyes but not procure memine In which I was confirm'd by Cleorin The Noble Fatal Conquest I did win And forc'ed my self that Secret to declare Which builds your Blessings on my own Despair Cleor. Yet Glory must on that Despair attend In which you serv'd your Mistress Prince and Friend Dela Though Sir t was much your Mistress to adore To help you while your Rival yet is more Now Sir my Story to an end is brought Or Praise my merit or condemn my Fault Prin. Oh you so nobly have orecome your flame As your Despair cannot transcend your Fame That Heightned Friendship which our Loves secures In our Contentment will present you yours Your Friendship yet on me such Debts does lay As I must too Despair those Debts to pay Plan. 'T is Nobler much if you dare credit me To be th' Obliger than th' Obleig'd to be But in that Heart your Prince did first obtain By Freindship plac'd you shall for ever Reign Dela If ought could cure the Grief of loosing you What you both said that Miracle would doe Exeunt Enter King Edward King Iohn Lord Latimer Count Guesclin and all the Men. King Ed. What as a Lover could I less have Done Hearing what past betwixt you and my Son Strange are th' Effects which Jealousy produce But fully Sir to purchase your Excuse I come to visit you and let you know That I no more a Rival am to you My Anger though 't were great yet it was Short K. Iohn Sir I admire no more at your Transport O're hearing all we in the garden said But you have now full Reparation made Enter Delaware and Prince Prin. Sir I more Greive I did a Fault Commit Then I am Pleas'd that you have Pardon'd it But Sir I hope that Freedome you 'd restore Is but an Earnest that you 'l grant me more My Great Request Sir is Renew'd by me Granting me that is more then Liberty Such Strange Discoveries I have made this day As all the favour for which now I pray Is that to let me court her you 'll consent When you your self have judg'd her Innocent King Ed. But will you cease to court her when I prove You being judge she Merits not your Love Prin. This by my Duty Sir I promise you K. Ed. Then what you beg'd of me I grant you too Prince Be pleas'd then Sir to order Delaware Without Reserve
by Blood the Crown obtain Yet a Crown worn doth wash off every Stain Stra When Heaven admits a Tyrant to a Throne 'T is but from Vaster Heights â—…o cast him down To doe it whil'st hee 's climbing would appear A less Revenge then being seated there And since such Guilt does most the Gods incense The â—…unishment should equall the Offence Cleo. Since he while Wicked in the Throne has â—…ood The Gods will not depose him now hee 's Good His past Offences he does much deplore Stra. Thaâ—… for their Vengeance ripens him the more For men might think were not quick Justice done Repentance Usurpation might atone Cleo. Ah Sister those to whom the Gods allow Repentance with it give their Pardon too Stra But those who to destroy their Kings consent Heaven lets them never perfectly Repent But leaves them quite when they so Wicked bee Their Sorrow is but their Hypocrisy Cleo. Let not your Vertue Judge against your Sight Nor limit Mercy which is Infinite But since a Crown is still the gift of Heaven What matter is it by what Hand 't is given Stra. When by a Tyrants Hand a Crown is given How can you think that Crown the Gift of Heaven Cleo. Since Tryphon's in the Throne what Syrian dare Without a Crime dispute how he came there Stra Rather what Syrian who dares Vertue own Thinks not hee 's bound to cast him from the Throne My Father great Nicanor I dare say Thinks this a Duty which he ought to Pay You from this Duty may his hand restrain If you wâ—…h Tryphon in one Throne should Reign Cleo. Usurpers who inforc'd their Crimes forsake Toâ—… all past Crimes full sati faction make If I by Love continue Tryphon Good Nicanor ought not then to shed his Blood If he relapse he by his Death may prove His Countrey he more then his Son does love Syria to us what ' ere Tryphon shall doe Either his Change or her Revenge shall owe. Stra. Ah think not Love the softest thing that is Can dwell in such a Cruel Heart as his Cleo. Rather believe since Love has him Inflam'd His Heart from Cruelty is now reclaim'd Stra. Since by such Guilt he in the Throne does sit Rather believe his Vertue Counterfeit Cleo. 'T is the least Miracle which Love can doe To change dissembled Vertue into true Stra. Ah Cleopatra this discourse has shown You 'l lose your Happiness to gain his Throne For I was now in brave Aretus name To have disclos'd to you his hidden Flame A Flame so High and so Respectfull too As it appear'd worthy of him and you Oh had you seen the Fear in which he spoke When he my help did in his Love invoke It would have you as well as me it mov'd That Fear had let you see how much he Lov'd Cleo. Aretus ought to blush that durst appear At once my Lover and admit a Fear Stra. He of that Fear rather then blush should boast Since Flames which highest rise still tremble most Cleo. Sure my dear Stratonice this is but said Me from the Love of Tryphon to diswade For did Aretus Burn to such degree He would have first disclos'd his flame to me Draw not from what his High Respect does prove An argument that he is not in Love Her I have observ'd so has Irene too Of late Aretus often gaz'd on you And when by chance your Eyes on him were turnd He with a Sigh would seem to say he burn'd Irene I must acknowledge Madam I admire That you did ne'r take notice of his Fire Hermione and I have often said Never more Love in any Looks were read Cleo. T is haypy for him that he ne'r did dare Himself to me his Passion to declare For if he had been Guilty of that Crime T would have supprest th' Esteem I have for him Stra. His Vertue the Esteem of all does move But is there nothing due unto his Love Cleo. Yes yes my Pitty while it is conceal'd But hate when 't is by him to me reveal'd Stra. You more then he should this Resolve deplore Cleo. Press me dear Stratonice in this no more Tryphons Addresse has so Succesfull been As he has now my Word to be his Queen Stra. Ah such as have to Thrones of Tyrants rose Have bin the more expos'd to Fortunes blowes Cleo. She does not merit on a Throne to sit Who can fear ought more then to miss of it Exeunt THE SECOND ACT. The SCENE the Palace Garden Demetrius and Aretus as in discourse Dem. BUt for his interrupting of us you Had then known all which I have told you now Methinks you seem amaz'd at what I said Are. Alas your Words have struck me worse then Dead Fortune no Curse so bad as this could send Made sharper too since acted by my Freind Dem. How could I think that you concern'd had been In Cleopatra's being Tryphon's Queen Are. I am so much concern'd in it that I Rather then see her Tryphon's Wife wou'd Dye Dem. Doe you then love her Are. Love 's too low a name For that which does Aretus heart Inflame For never any Fire resembled mine But that Bright Fire which in her Eyes does shine Dem. Was 't fit this Love from me conceal'd should be Are. Alas 't was till last night unknown to me Something I felt of late had Charm'd me so As did at once Please and Subject me too But those Emotions were so farr above All that the world has ever known of Love As that 't was Love no more by them I knew Then I can now describe that Love to you 'T was fit that Eyes that shoot unusuall Rayes Should kindle Fires too in unusuall wayes Dem. I am not Guilty though my self I Blame But Sure you might suppress so young a Flame Your Freind from no small Trouble it would free Are. Ah 'twere not Love did it depend on me Those Guilty Words therefore you should recall Love does not take but gives the Law to all Would you not think me cruell or unwise Should I beg you not to love Stratonice Dem. I durst not aske that you 'de your Love decline If it had took so deep a root as mine Are. Nothing can fix a Love to such degree As Cleopatra's Eyes have done in me Dem. You have not yet your Conquerors Favour gaind But I my Stratonice's have obtain'd That Secret's only trusted to your breast Are. And there in silence it shall ever rest But oâ—… in what you say you have not prov'd That I love less than you but less am lov'd Success may raise my Joys but not my Flame The World for Love like mine does want a Name Dem. Ah my Aretus had I known before That you fair Cleopatra 〈◊〉 Adore I had prevented those sâ—… streights â—…e're in And hindred Tryphon couâ—…ting her for Queen Now there 's no cure for a disease so high Are. Yes but there is Dem. what is 't Are. Tryphon shall dye On two accompts his death to
soon some late but all must Burn at last Your Fate you rather should Applaud then Blame Since you must Burn that 't is in such a Flame Try To wear her Chaines Seleucus is to Me A Happiness transcending Liberty Then doe no longer think it is my Love But 't is my Friendship does my Torment prove Since with Demetrius I did once contract I never yet in Thought or Word or Act Yielded to what might it in Question call But now I feare Seleucus that I shall For while that he by me employ'd has been To Court fair Cleopatra for my Queen This other Beauty has so Conquer'd me As without her thy Prince must Wretched be Which justly my Demetrius will offend Hard choice when I must wrong my Love or Friend Sel. Is this Sir the Misfortune you Lament Try You ask as if Fate could a Worse have sent Sel. Demetrius would not Merit your Esteem If that which makes your Joy should Trouble him Try Yet that I shall offend him I must Grieve Sel. Such an Offence as this hee 'l soon Forgive Try My Grief though he forgave it would not end 'T is sad to need the Pardon of a Freind Sel. 'T is more when Fortune does a Subject bring To such a height as to Forgive his King That Glory will the heaviest Wrong outweigh Try Through all this Darkness I might see some Day If my Demetrius e're in Love had bin For then hee 'd judge this Change my Fate not Sin Lovers still pay to Love a deep Respect And where Love is Causes excuse th' Effect Sel. At my request Sir banish all your Care Leave it to me to manage this Affair Try Ah if to this thou giv'st a Happy End Thou hast for ever made thy King thy Freind Embracing him 'T is not enough that he forgives my Sin He must be still my Friend as he hath been For know I need my Sorrows to remove As much his Freindship as my conquerors Love Since if to Win the Last I Lose the First I shall thereby at once be Blest and Curst They goe out The End of the second Act THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE an obscure grove Enter Cleopatra and Hermione Cleo. DOe not my Deare Hermione admire That to this Gloomy Grove I did retire Since here I thought I could my Heart Reveal While the kind Shade my Blushes did Conceal But now I find I 'm in as High a Fright To tell my Fate in Darkness as in Light Shame like the World when it in Chaos lay Knows not distinction betwixt Night and Day Ah judge what are my Troubles since I fear Their sad Relation from my self to hear Her No such Just cause of Grief your Fate can send As Madam at this rate to use your Friend 'T is by that Pow'rfull Name I beg again That you 'l from me no longer hold your Pain Perhaps I may the Cause of it remove Cleo. Oh tell me first have you been e're in Love Her Why Madam doe you ask Cleo. Because I know That none can ease my Pain that is not so Her I was but Love to Friendship did submit Cleo. Ah 't was not Love if ought could Conquer it You lov'd not well or knew his Pow'r but Ill That say you were in Love and are not still The Name of Love for Love it self you took Since Reall Love can never be forsook Had yours been True you might as well have swore You doe not Live as that you Love no more Her What you have spoken does methinks declare You to the Pow'r of Love no stranger are But would you thus reproach me if you knew That what you now condemn I did for you Cleo. Why did you cease to be in Love for me Her By many Proofs I did so clearly see That such a Pleasing Sadness conquer'd you As I to Love could judge it only due And since Your Heart and Mine were still so like I fear'd one Arrow both of us did strike Cleo. Ah say not that your Heart resembles Mine Since you once Lov'd and could your Love decline Not can I fancy who this Man can be Whom you could leave yet think could Conquer me Her Aretus is Cleo. Aretus did your name Her And at that word your Face is in a Flame What Friendship should have done your Blushes doe They are to me more Kind and Just then you Why has Hermione been thus abus'd Cleo. May not one blush that 's wrongfully accus'd Her But my Belief on a sure ground is built I see your Love to him to me your Guilt Madam a Blush when Love is in the case Is in Effect the Conscience of the Face Though in this Secret you my Faith did doubt Deny it not now I have found it out Cleo. Too much your Friendship I have Wrong'd and Try'd My Blushes tell you what my Words deny'd Alas I fear I for Aretus prove That Fatall State the World does call in Love Yet doe not since I did but Hide my Flame Condemn my Friendship but Commend my Shame Nor blame me if to you I fear'd to show What of my self I am asham'd to know But my Hermione since you could see That Pow'rfull Passion which has Conquer'd me Spight of my Care to Cloud it oh I fear It may to others as to you appear Should that befall me which so much I dread Honour and Grief would justly strike me dead Her That Fear you ought not Madam to admit Cleo. How did you then come to discover it Her That Grief which when retir'd you still exprest Made me Suspect what now you have confest For she who Greives while courted by a King Shews that such Grief alone from Love can spring And when I found you Lov'd I quickly knew Your Love could be but to Aretus due Which since you have acknowledg'd give me leave To aske why Tryphon's Love you did receave Was not Ambiton in your soul too strong Cleo. Doe not at once my Love and Viâ—…tue wrong For if I had Aretus Passion known I would have valu'd it above a Throne Her But now t is known why is it not embrac'd Cleo. Because my word was first to Tryphon past Her As you my Love so I your Love must blame Since you before your Love prefer your Fame Cleo. I should appear unfit for his Esteem Did I not value more my Word then Him And this great Pleasure to my Act is due That which does lose me him deserves him too Ah why did not Aretus let me see That Passion which you say he has for me Before my Promise was to Tryphon past Her But why to give it did you make such hast Cleo. I fear'd that he who did my Heart subdue Would my Hermione have seen it too And I his Love for ever would decline Rather then he should first discover mine T was fitter since I ow'd it to my Fame To suffer Ruine then to merit Shame Her But e're you did admit the Kings Address Aretus looks did
Ar. Ah you your self what now you said must blame Or must think Justice but an empty Name Who has the Right has on his side the Odds Else chance does Rule the World and not the Gods Dem. The Right Antiochus had on his side And yet alas by Tryphon's Sword he dy'd Ar. You know that hapless Monarch did not dye By Tryphon's Force but by his Trechery Those onely then to bear his Yoke are fit Who can Fear ought more than to suffer it Do not a Guilt so great as this pursue Dem. I have more Cause to be his Foe than you For he is fall'n in Love with Stratonice And me he did into a Vow surprize Before to me his Conqueress he did name That I would Help and Serve him in his Flame By which the Death of Tryphon you may see Cannot more Grateful prove to you than me But my concerns from Syria are above Even those I have for Stratonice's Love Then doe not Blame me if I hinder you From Doing what I think is Sin to Doe Ar. The Justice of the Gods in this you see He punishes in you your Guilt to me You Cross my Love and bind me to my Oath Tryphon alike Revenges me in both 'T is Heaven permits him thus to do you Wrong Because his Death you have delay'd so long Dem. That Wrong you mention I with Patience take Since I 'me convinc'd it is for Syria's sake By me be taught to give your Passion Lawes And Bâ—…avely Suffer for your Contry's cause Farewell to Sacred Virtue let us trust The Gods would not be Gods were they not Just. Demetrius offers to gâ—… 〈◊〉 Aretus drawes his Sword Ar. Demetrius stay Dem. Ha! what meane you now Ar. Since you Deny to free me from my Vow By which my Hopes of Cleopatra End And Syria must under a Tyrant Bend Either of which too Cleerly you must see Is worse a thousand times then Death to me Thus I cast off that Friendship which does prove So Fatall to my Country and my Love My Death must End the Grief of losing both Or yours Absolve me from my Guilty Oath Dem. Put up your Sword for when this Storm is Laid You 'll Curse your self for what you now have said Though to your Rage your Friendship you Resign Yet you shall see nothing can alter mine Ar. How dare you mention Friendship 's Sacred Name And yet Oppose my Country Love and Fame By that Enchanting Word you shall not now That payment Stop which to these three I Owe. Draw or I 'll kill thee Dem. Heare me but one Word Ar. I will not hear thee till thou draw'st thy Sword Dem. Then thus I draw it but to Heaven I Vow I 'l soner Kill my self with it then You. Ar. Thy Guilt to me thy Courage has betray'd It makes Demetrius now of Death affraid Dem. When thou reflect'st the King my Rivall is How by my Oath I have lost Stratonice And how thy self on whom I did rely Art from my Friend become my Enemy It may perhaps to thee a Truth appeare That Death is what I Wish not what I Feare What I have told thee now I thus make good Opening his doublet and spreading his armes Here quench thy Rage in my â—…guarded Bâ—…ood And in such Death no 〈◊〉 I shall endure But that thy Rage not Friendship acts the Cure Aretus turns away Why dost thou turn away we are Agreed My Death is what thou Seek'st and what Need. Ar. Oh my Demetrius that which now you doe Is worse then not to Free me from my Vow 〈◊〉 For Friendship 's sake methinks you should not give Words worse then Death yet after let me Live Dem If this appears a Cruelty to thee Then be not Guâ—…lty of the like to me Ar. I buâ—… provok'd you to that High Degree To get that Death from you you seek from me Dem. Such Wounâ—…s from You and Fate I now Recieve As I much rather Death would Take then Give Ar. I hop'd for me your Friendship was so High As when you found Tryphon oâ—… I must Dye You then to Kill him your Consent would give Or let me the Denyal not Survive But now alas both are refus'd by you Dem. Ah doe not blame what Honour makes me doe You know how much Tryphon my Friend has bin Ar. Call you him Friend who 's Guilty of the sin Of Tying you by Oath from Stratonice Dem. He does not know that he my Rivall is But she whom I acquainted with it now And how I was surpris'd into my Vow Does Scorn his Passion and Condemn my Crime In being False to her and true to him For thus she tearmes what my Oath binds me to By which I am under such Torments now As if the Gods should but one day deny The Cure I need the Grief will make me die So long your Aimes at Tryphons Death suspend 'T is but one day and beg'd too by your Friend Ar. So long I 'le respite Justice for your sake But know so long I shall be on the Racke Dem. Heaven Knows which on us both such Ills has thrown That I lament Your Sufferings as my Own They goe out embracing Enter Tryphon and Nicanor The SCENE Tryphons Pallace Try Yes in my first Address my chiefest End Was by Alliance to make you my Friend And this Address to the like End does move But with th' Addition of a Deathless Love The Bond between us nothing can â—…doe When ty'd by Love and by Alliance too Nic. That Honor you to Stratanice design Deserves her best Acknowledgements and mine Try You then Consent I place her in my Throne Nic. Sir it were fit you first Obtain'd her Own For as by Natures Dictates she is led Not without my Consent her self to Wed So 't would â—…n me Unnaturall appear Should I without her leave dispose of Her Try 'T would much Advance the Union I pursue If I could tell her 't is Approv'd by you Nic. Too much to me it like Injustice showes T' Approve that Union till I know she Does Try You 'l make me doubt your Scruples are so nice That you on it do set too Low a Price Nic. No Sir I doe Esteem her 〈◊〉 I ought Call not my Duty to my Child a Fault Try I Know what e'r you Please shee 'll alwayes Do And therefore I 'll alike Ascribe to you Those Charming Joy Iâ—…m her Love shall find As all my â—…orments should she prove Unkind To you Nicanor I this Evâ—…ning give T' ingage her my Addresses to receive But if to be Rejected be my Fate Know I 'l resent it at the Highest Rate Nic. I 'l Rather to a Punishment submit Then to the Guilt of what may Merit it Tryphon and Nâ—…canor goe out severall wayes Enter Cleopatra and Seleucus The SCENE Nicanors Pallace Sel. Though Tryphon does to me much Favour show Yet Madam the Respect to you I owe Makes me abhor th' Affront he did to you And makes me offer to Revenge it
leave That Generous Usage he to me does show Secures me here more then his Guards can do And though this Bond do Strong enough appear Yet a far stronger does Confine me here By your great Friendship Sir I here am ty'dâ—… But tell me freely is there ought beside Which by a Friend a Secret may be thought Which told a Friend his Friend may think a Fault Prin. Yes Sir yet I will mention but one more Looking fixedly on the King Suppose two Friends one Beauty did Adore If he whose Heart her eyes the last o're came Should to his Rival Friend disclose his Flame He well might think the Injury was Great King I hope you do not love Plantagenet Prin. Yes Sir I do and with a Love so High As it can never Cease until I Die King Ah Since you Love her and to that Degree Why was your Passion not Reveal'd to me Telling you first she does my Conquerour prove You make your Friendship Guiltier then my Love Prin. Why should I tell you what you needs must know For whosoeuer sees must love her too King Since such high Pow'r does to her Eyes belong Think not in loving her I do you Wrong Prin. To love such Charming Eyes no wrong can be But 't is a Wrong to tell your Love to me King Since all who Look on her she must Subdue Is it a wrong to tell you what you knew Because you thought your Love was known to me You judg'd your Silence was no Injury But I as soon as I her Lover grew Judg'd it a Duty Sir to Tell it you Consider which of us has done the worst Prin. I who first saw her must have lov'd her First Therefore my Passion must be known to you King I hear'd you Lov'd Her and she Lov'd You too But afterwards she did Inconstant prove And I believ'd that Wrong had Cur'd your Love Prin. Her Beauties were unworthy my Esteem If any thing more Powerful were then Them King Knowing their Pow'rs admire not if you see That Love more strong then Friendship is in me Prin. Yet since I to her Beauties first did bow Your Love 's a Wrong to me not mine to you King Io. Affronts the Ties of Friendship may undo Yet you still love her though she injur'd you You clearly have Declar'd in what you Did That her Fair Eyes does Friendships strength exceed And she who spight of Wrongs triumphs o're you Triumphs o're me in spight of Friendship too Since she o're you the greatest Pow'r has shewn Blaming my Passion you more blame your own Our Love in both or neither is amiss Yours above wrongs mine above Friendship is But the Success of mine I may dispair Since now I know that you my Rival are I with Disgrace am cloath'd but you with Fame Which makes me merit Pity more then Blame Prin How can I Sir that Pity give to you Which o my own Case is more justly due Besides her change for which my Soul does mourn Besides my Friend who does my Rival turn As high an I â—…as both of these I feel King May you that Secret Sir to me Reveal To me who though as Rival you may blame Yet I your Friend more than your Rival am For at this Name I Grieve at that Rejoyce This is th' Effect of Force but that of Choice Embracing him Prin. Oh I did err and in a high degree Repining that you Rival were to me Since 't is more fit that pain I should abide Then that her Eyes this Triumph were deny'd As both in Love and Friendship I exceed So both Disdain in common paths to tread Unjust to Her and Love I should appear Would I without a Rival conquer her King This Declaration I unmov'd receive Since you to be your Rival give me leave But to Plantagenet should prove unkind Yet in my Friendship I some ease shall find For should the worst of Fortunes be my share Your Trophies I should raise in Love as War Thus I by Friendships Pow'r shall be supply'd With what to me my Fate and Love deny'd My Friendship for you nothing can impair Since it stands firm though you my Rival are For I who best her Beauties pow'r do know Find your excuse from thence for being so And to confirm this Truth I now will show That Secret to you which you ask'd to know Prin. Those conquering Beauties which did us subdue Have made my Father turn my Rival too King I thought he Lov'd the Fair Alizia Prin. And Sir I thought you Lov'd Valeria King Our Conquerours Eyes must every Heart reduce In my own Fate I find the Kings Excuse Prince 'T is She alone with the high Pow'r is blest Of Captiavating Freedoms prepossess'd King She does in the same Fare such is her Pow'r Involve the Conquer'd and the Conquerour Prin. But 't is not Sir at this that I repine I know where e're her Beauties please to slime They ought to Conquer as their Native Right Me by his Rivalship he does not Fright For 't is Her choice alone which can improve The highest Lover to deserve her Love And Sir my Flame which brightest shall appear Would make it Sin should I a Rival fear But that which does my Soul with Grief subdue Is his forbidding me to Love her too Oh why should the Paternal Right oppose The nobler Right which Love on her bestows King Oh Prince your Case is difficult I see He should have treated you as you treat me But in the Fatal strait which you are in You must against your Love and Nature sin What Resolution think you to pursue Prin. Ah 't is much easier to Resolve than Do For once I thought I could so far Obey As silently to Mourn my Life away But Love the Monarch Passion of the Soul That Resolution quickly did controul Making me find that her Triumphant Eyes Are much more pow'rful then all Natures ties Yet that no odds of you I may receive But what my greater Love to me does give I let you know on her this night ' I le wait And from her Sentence I 'le receive my Fate Sir if you please you may there go with me And both together learn our Destiny I hope if mine does prove a happy Doom My Father by Submission to o'recome But if a Fatal Doom she does dispence That will Revenge my Disobedience King Since you allow me I on you will wait Of that bright Beauty to receive my Fate Though I already cannot but foresee The certain Ruine that must fall on me For she must be Unjust as she is Fair If of her Love she makes me not Dispair Or if she should me with her Favour bless Your Grief for it will Kill my Happiness Fate neither way to me nor hope allow Prin. The value of her Love you injure now Since whosoe're her Favour does possess In part the relish of unhappiness King If of her Love such Thoughts I do admit My height'ned Friendship is the cause of