Armenia up to such a height Sh 'as vow'd to second us in our Revenge Men. 'T is well but let us hast to meet the King Hark Trumpets Drums and Shouts afar off Those Shouts inform us he is near the City And if our Plot goes right near to his Grave Again Good Heav'n Shouts nearer With how much Joy they wellcome him to Death Come Orgillus let us go meet this man Who Swell'd with Conquest comes with Tryumph on Trumpets and Drums on one side On the Other Violins Flutes and other Musick Enter on one side the King Meleander Lattimus Captains Guards On the other The Queen Ithocles Marcelia Menaphon Orgillus and Armena attend The King and Semanthe meet and Embrace King O my Semanthe take me to thy breast And let me Grow for ever in thy Arms. By Heav'n my Joys are much too great to bear Shou'd I gaze longer on this Charming fair Such killing brightness from her eyes she 'd cast I shou'd not have the power to stand before ' em Sem. My Lord my life O how shall I express My wonderous Bliss to see you safe return'd I swear I think the Joys of Heaven too poor To put in ballance with this one bless'd hour King My dear dear happyness my all I prize I swear my Lords and O bear witness for me You mighty Powers that have in war preserv'd me I Joy not half so much in all my Conquests As I do now in this dear happy minute Clasping Semanthe in my Longing Arms. Whilst the King goes and Salutes Marcelia Meleander comes towards the Queen Sem. O wellcome Brother wellcome Meleander From all the dreadfull hazards of the war Wellcome above the world next my Lov'd Lord. presents Lattimus Mele. I thank you Royall Sister and I beg Your favour for this youth my lifes preserver Lattinius Kneels and kisses the Queens hand Itho. The more I look upon that Lovely youth The more I see of poor Statilia in him My Sister who before this war fled from me aside Whither I know not nor for what strange Cause Men. Health and Success attend your Majesty Kneeling May all the Glories that your Arms have won Be doubled on you and your Conqu'ring Sword Be ever thus Successful 'gainst your foes King Rise Menaphon my true my faithfull freind O what return is in my power sufficient To recompence thee for thy wonderous care Of my Semanthe and my Kingdoms safety I swear cou'd I bestow a Crown upon thee 'T would be too little to requite thy merits Men. What I have done was nothing but my duty And wou'd do more if more were in my power To serve my Royall Lord. King I know thou wou'dst I know thy honesty To be as great as ever dwelt in man And know besides that shou'd I spend my Life In thanks to Heav'n for making me so bless'd With Loyall Subjects faithful valiant Warriours But above all with my Semanthes Love 'T would be too little O my brightest Star Let me again infold the next my heart Thus breathe my Soul into thy throbbing bosome I cou'd grow mad with my excese of bliss And end my Life this moment in thy arms Men. How soon this mighty Scene of love will vanish When once he finds my Poyson working in him aside Itho. My Royall Lord since you 're so bless'd by fate And Heav'n has given you all you can desire Let me implore who want your Royall favour Your kind Consent to make your vassall happy King O Ithocles if ought is in my power To recompence thy Loyallty and Courage Be quick and let me know how I may serve thee Itho. Great Sir upon my knees I beg forgiveness That I presume to ask so great a gift But love Reigns strongly in my tortur'd breast And tho' I 'me loved by her my Soul most Covets 'T is your Consent alone can make me happy Since 't is Marcelia Sir for whom I sue Mele Ha! for Marcelia Lord thou suest in vain For tho' I yet ne're own'd my Love to her I 've Long been her Adorer And have the Kings Consent to make her mine Latt Then I am Lost Aside King 'T is true brave Ithocles Before I knew thy Love I 'de given my promise And never can consent she shall be thine Whilst one so pow'rfull stands in Competition Mar. O Sir upon my knees let me intreat you Force not my Inclinations 't is most true That I have given my heart to Ithocles And never can consent to love another Meleander is too noble sure to seek The love of one that must deny his passion Mele. Why Cruell fair am I so far unworthy That you should scorn me thus to please a Rivall He cannot more then I adore Marcelia Nor Venture more to shew how much he loves I have the King's Consent Itho. But I Marcelia's Mar. And when I e're consent to love another Heav'n shut your bright gates against me banish me From the bless'd Realms of your Immortal day May I King No more thou Cheap Ignoble fool That durst to own a Love without my knowledge To you my Lord I ever shew'd such kindness to Itho. As might have kept you from so base an Act To Court thus privately a Niece of mine Forget her and I 'le own thee still my Friend Persist in it and thy Life answers for it Itho. Forget her No if I must lose Marcelia Death is the kindest thing you can bestow And I wou'd now most willingly embrace it Since I must never hope t' obtain my Love For you my Lord it shews most base in you to Mele. To offer to invade Anothers right Our hearts our Souls are join'd by Solemn Contract And tho' the King's Consent on my side 's wanting Her Constant heart is never to be Chang'd Therefore I know your Courtship will be vain Latt Pray Heav'n it be Aside King Well Sir leave that to time But now to shew how much thy vanity And thy unlook'd for suit has mov'd thy King As you respect my favour I command you Never make mention of thy impious love to Itho. For if thou dost by the great victory My arms have gain'd over the bold Suillians Thou shallt no more behold the face of day But in a Dungeon dark as your loves were I 'le make thee end the remnant of thy days Sem. My Gracious Lord let me intreat this mercy To Calm your rage 'gainst the unhappy Ithocles Consider love's the Occasion of his Crime Whose power alass your Royall self have felt And know 't is Irresistable King O pardon me thou Mirrour of thy Sex That I bestow one minute from thy arms But shall Semanthes Brother plead in vain He who feels flames as great as Ithocles It must not be by Heav'n my love it must not Conduct Marcelia straight to her Apartment to Armena And let none visit her without my Order Exit Marcelia weeping with Armena Come my Semanthe after all the Hazards That do attend on war the happyness
thy words have rais'd a storm within me I must have stronger reasons that she 's false Men. Why then to shew you Sir how much I love you And with what Zeal I 've strove to serve my King I 'le shew these two seeming Saints but Devills Even in the Act of sin that needs must damn ' em King Ha! In the Act it is impossible Men. It is indeed to Nick the very time But I will shew you something Comes so near You may with ease imagine what 's been done But know my Liege when these dark deeds are done 'T is when they 're very certain of your absence Therefore might I be worthy to advise Early i' th' morning make some slight pretence That may detain you till the following day Then if I do not give you certain Proof Of the Queens falshood cut me into Atoms King Is 't possible O this Land-Crocodile Made of Egyptian slime Accursed woman Wou'd when I first beheld her tempting face My eyes had met with Light'ning and instead Of hearing her Inchanting tongue the shreeks Of Mandrakes had made musick to my Slumbers Men. My Lord be Patient see before you doubt King I will nay thou sha't see me wond'rous Patient For yet I cannot think Semanthe false Tho' words like thine urg'd with such Confidence To any man but me wou'd turn him mad Farewell my Lord and see you keep your promise For if thou dost not Vengance Hell and Horrour Shall certainly attend thy Canker'd Soul Ex. King Manet Men. Men. Rowl on the Chariot Wheels of my dark Plot And bear my ends to their desired Marks He 's gone with black suspition in his heart And made his Soul a slave to Jealousy Let him go on on to the Gulph of Ruine As sure he shall when I have work'd my Ends Now to my Brother O thou Credulous King The Tortur'd Ghosts that dwell i' th' dark Abyss Have pleasant Hours to what thou sha't enjoy For when the black designs that I have laid Are brought to pass then then comes all thy pain And thou sha't never tast of Peace again Exit SCENE IV. The Scene drawn discovers Marcelia sitting Melancholly A Song within I. Were I with my Orinda bless'd Of the dear Maid Possess'd It wou'd in Angells Envy breed To see our Ioys shou'd theirs exceed One minute wou'd more bliss bestow Then they in Thousand Ages know II. All over Rapture when shall I With you in Transport lye On thy soft bosom to be plac'd To be by those dear Arms Embras'd Is better far then Diadems With all the Eastern useless Iems Marcelia Rises Mar. No more of this it suites not with my sorrow For one so wretched and so lost as I The Groans of Tortur'd Ghosts were fitter Musick O Ithocles Part'ner of my Afflictions With much more Joy and vast contentedness Wou'd I embrace my death within thy Arms Then live possess'd o' th' World thus sever'd from thee O King King O my too Cruell Unckle With what a weight of sorrow do you load me Be kind and give me ease by present Death Enter a Lady Lady One from Prince Meleander Craves Admittance Mar. Altho' I hate the name of him he comes from Yet that I may have Opportunity To vent my passion by my scorn admit him Ex. Lady Re-enter with Lattinius and Exits Latt Divinest Excellence whose Conquering eyes Have made a Captive of the best of Men Do not with scorn repay his faithfull love Ah Madam hither I am sent to lay His bleeding heart before you and inform you He can no longer live without your pitty His tortur'd Soul will quickly leave its Mansion Unless your kind Consent will make him happy Mar. My my Consent Hear me you bless'd above If I do ever entertain one thought Of love to any but my Ithocles Let me continue wretched still a Pris'ner And never know the bless'd content of Freedom This tell your Lord and let him know beside There 's not one torturing Pang within his breast But what 's doubled in mine and he the cause Then guess what pitty he must e're expect From one that suffers all this pain through him Latt Alas his Crime is caus'd by too much love Oh had you heard as I too oft have done The deep-fetch'd sighs have sprung from his sad heart The many Groans beheld the tears h 'as shed His broken slumbers and his restless thoughts You 'd sure make a more kind return then scorn Mar. Never Oh never 't is not in my power My life my heart my love is Ithocles's And ' Im too firmly fix'd e're to be Chang'd Latt O on my knees let me return my thanks Keep still keep still this constant resolution Bless'd be the Powers that have inspir'd your breast With this unshaken faith to Ithocles For shou'd you er'e consent to Meleander That day that gives you him must give me Death Mar. What means the Youth Latt O Look on poor Statillia On her who loves above her life that man Whom you can entertain with so much scorn But by the freindship that was once between us And by the constant love you bear my Brother Lock up this Secret as you 'd guard your life Lest the too fatall breath of a discovery Shou'd Seal my everlasting Banishment Shut from that Bliss his dearest presence gives For 't is there only that Statillia lives Mar. O rise thy Brother's Part'ner in my heart And what there is in my poor power to serve you You may with Confidence Command but Sister For so I now must call you since your Brother Is made the full possessor of my love You may be kind and let me see you often For 't is a wondrous Comfort to th' afflicted To have a kind Companion in their Sorrows Latt O do not doubt it for your Company Next Meleanders is my all I covet And sometimes to divert our mournfull hours We 'le sit and talk and sigh and weep and wish T' obtain our loves but O I fear in vain Mar. We know not that Heav'n Pities the Afflicted And time brings many won'drous things to pass Mean while we twins of misery and sorrow Will comfort one another like true friends We 'le equally share happiness and grief And beg some pittying God to send relief Ex. Omn. SCENE V. A Garden Enter King and Semanthe Sem. My Lord If I did e're possess your love If you have any kindness for Semanthe Tell me the meaning of your clowded brow And why you seem thus troubled King I have cause O my Semanthe in my last nights sleep My troubled fancy has been so perplex'd With dreadfull dreams and hideous Apparitions That take away my quiet for methought O dreadfull sight methought the verge of Heav'n Was Ring'd with flames and all the upper vault Thick laid with flakes of fire i' th midst of which A Blazing Comet shot his threat'ning tail Just in my face I thought 't was terrible But Oh what after came was that distracts me I
The fatall Plot that 's working in my Brain Aims at no less a Price for my Scorn'd love Then her too haughty life who has refus'd me Org. Is all your violent love then come to this Have you so soon forgot Semanthes beauty Is that bright Angell you so late admir'd Become so very low in your esteem That you can talk of Aiming at her life Men. O Orgillus didst thou but know as I do The Pangs the Tortures of a slighted love Thou woud'st not wonder at this sudden Change For when ill treated it turns all to hate And the then darling of our Soul's revenge Enter Nearchus How now the news with you Nea. Lord Ithocles is just arriv'd at Court And brings the news of the Kings victory Men. How victory Oh bane to all my hopes Had he but brought news of his Funerall aside This scornfull beauty then perhaps might yeild Org. Lord Ithocles the Herauld of his Tryumphs Is he the Harbinger Curse of the name Nea. Yes my good Lord he is Exit Nea. Men. Nearchus leave us Now Brother Orgillus I do remember the Kings wedding day Was Celebrated with all Martiall Pastimes with Tilts and Tournaments at the Solemnity Where Ithocles this Fav'rite of the Kings Got an Immortall fame to your dishonour Org. Dishonour yes and such dishonour too Sprung from a cause so weak that th'asham'd world Repeats it with a blush because this upstart In that days Tournament had the kind luck Only to Guide a Fortunate Launce against me A little to my disadvantage Chance Meer Chance the sport of Fortune for Heav'n knows For years I 've worn the Glory of the Lifts And ne're was foyl'd before but cause Semanthe Was pleas'd to give the Triumph of the day The Golden Lot of that one single chance To Ithocles the fond Uxorious King To please his Queen must sacrifice his Soldier The vain applause of this new-made Favourite Seduced his Royall reason to that poor Ingratitude that the exalted Ithocles Was mounted in my honours to Command That very Army which I 've led so often To Victory for this forgetfull King Men. Forgetfull yes Remembrance is a stranger to ingratitude Org. Had he perform'd some mighty feat in War To out-strip me in renown subdued some Kingdom Which my weak sword had lost then 't had been Justice T'o're-leap my head and seize my forfeit Lawrells But for a worthless prize a sportive Trophey For foyling me in a poor idle Tournament To have my blasted Glories all torn from me Degraded lost stript naked to adorn This Insolent rifler with my borrow'd Plumes Is canker to my Soul and ev'ry vein Run poyson at the thought Men. O just Resentments And sure my brother can't forget that time Org. Forget it Menaphon Impossible By Heav'n it grates my very Soul to think on 't O I have worn him still within my mind And wanted but an Opportunity To pluck this growing Phaeton from his Glory Men. Now is the time O Orgillus my brain Is full of Glorious thoughts for our revenge Methinks I have already in my view A Mapp of all the Mischiefs I intend To rid my thoughts of this proud scornfull beauty And thee of Ithocles the Man thou hatest Wilt thou be faithfull to me Org. Can you doubt it When you conspire the fall of Ithocles What is it I would fail t' assist you in The Mighty Conqueror of the Universe Ran not more Hazard's in his years of War Then I wou'd do to take Revenge on him Men. Come to my breast My Brother and my friend Was ever change like mine Some moments since My Soul was all a-burning fire of Love But that hot Love is in an instant gone And all my thoughts are now Revenge alone Ex. Om. The Scene Changes to the Pallace Enter Ithocles meeting Marcelia Mar. Wellcome my Lord my life my Ithocles Wellcome O wellcome from the hands of war Itho. O my Marcelia do I once more view thee Once more behold those dear those charming eyes By Heav'n my Love the King with all his Conquests Cannot have half the Joy thy presence gives me Mar. My dearest Ithocles my best lov'd Lord O what a long and tedious Separation Has this war made between us but for all The fears I 've felt the many tears I 've shed To think upon the many dangers you were in This happy minute makes a full amends Itho. Speak on and bless my ears with the dear Sound Of that Celestiall voice Musique more sweet Then is the Murmur of a slow pac'd Brook When 't is with thousand little Pebbles crost Or the Winds Pratling 'mongst the wanton Leafs Mar. But oh my Lord when the heat of fight Your Sword imbrued in bloud and your fierce mind Employ'd about the bus'ness of the War Then your Marcelia was not thought upon Itho. My unkind dear why dost thou wrong me so By Heav'n the thoughts of thee inspir'd my Courage And when I look'd upon the bold Sicillians And knew 't was they detain'd me from thy Arms I flew more fierce then Thunder from a Cloud And beat down all that did oppose my fury Not think of thee why thou wert all my thoughts And ev'ry dream still shew'd me my Marcelia And when the King wou'd to divert his cares With Feasts and Revells pass away the time I have retir'd alone into my Tent And bless'd my self with thinking on Marcelia Mar. And will you ever Love thus Itho. When I do not The Flouds shall run back to their Springs again The Woolf shall fly and fear the silly Lamb. But my best life when shall we Crown our Joys When will the dear the happy minute come That Marriage must for ever make thee mine What tho' the Cruel hand of War did part us Now that is past let us deferr no longer But make me bless'd above the rest of Men. Mar. My Lord you know the King's consent is wanting And tho' I do and will for ever love you I dare not Wed without his free Permission Since he has both a King and Uncles Power But more of that my Lord when he returns My duty calls me to attend the Queen And I dare stay no longer O my Lord I had a thousand thousand things to tell you When next we meet for we shall meet again I will Command some happy longer minute And then compleat kind loves unfinish'd murmurs Itho. My better self after so long an absence You may with safety grant one happiness A kiss from those fair Lips wou'd be no sin Good Night my Love thou dearest best of women The thoughts of thy bright Charms wou'd turn me mad But that I live in hopes I shall posses'em Thy beauteous Image fleets before my Eyes And shews the wond'rous Heav'n I so much prize Exeunt The End of the First Act. The Second ACT. SCENE I. Enter Menaphon and Orgillus Men. HE Comes my Brother Cyprus Monarch comes Wrap'd up with Joy for his success i' th' War To meet a
saw O that I couâ—d forget the sight Just in that Bower mark what I say Semanthe I saw thee sit and in a short time after Lord Ithocles came with a lovers speed Imbrac'd Carress'd thee you requited him With Amorous looks soft kisses twining arms With these kind words O my dear Ithocles Let us be still thus Secret in our Loves And keep it close from the deluded King Seizes Semanthe roughly by the Hands But by the Honour of Anoynted heads Were both of you hid in a Rock of fire Guarded by flaming Ministers of Hell By Heav'n I have a sword shou'd make my way Through fire and darkness furies Death to hew Each Gangreen'd Limb of thee Infernal Sorceress Sem. Mercy Protect me will you murder me Alas I cannot guess the cause of this King O Pardon me Semanthe do not blame me For such another dream wou'd quite distract me But tell me love was 't not a dreadfull vision Sem. It was indeed my Lord a wond'rous one Yet but a dream for shou'd so great a guilt Hang on my Honour 't were but Justice in you If you shou'd tear my false disloyall heart out King Thy heart nay Strumpet even thy very Soul Seizes her again Tear it with fury from thy Cursed Carkass And damn it ever in Immortall Death Sem. Alas what mean you Sir King O I am mad Forgive me dear Semanthe for methinks I dream anew and it distracts me so That I take Idle visions to be reall Leave me Semanthe when these dreadfull thoughts Have left my troubl'd breast I 'le visit thee Sem. The Heav'ns preserve you from those frightfull dreams That thus disturb the quiet of my Lord Ex. Sem. Manet King King Can she be false no 't is impossible The vision I have now related to her Was only what Menaphon sayd he saw If she were Guilty there must needs appear Something of a mistrust she was discover'd But she looks sweet as Roses and appears Like virgin Lillies in unsully'd Infancy If she be Chast then Menaphon beware For I will have a dire revenge on thee The torments us'd in Bloudy Massacres And more if any more can be invented Shall surely fall upon thee but if not If she be false Destruction Ruine Horrour Bloud bloud and Death fair Infidell's thy doom And if for Injur'd love's Consummating vengeance Beyond the Grave one Hotter place there be In all the hideous sphear of wrath divine The very Center of damnation's thine Ex. King The End of the Third Act. The Fourth ACT. SCENE I. Enter Menaphon Orgillus Meeting Armena Org. WElcome Armena what is the deed done Arm. Speak softly ' t is Org. How Long Arm. Full half an hour Have you perform'd the same by Ithocles Men. At least an hour ago The King too is Conceal'd at my Apartment And those few Nobles that Attended him He has disper'd on severall Occasions I 'le to him straight mean while be it your care To fix 'em both ' th' posture that I order'd The darkness of the Night so well befriends us That you with ease may secretly Convey him To the Queens Lodgings which when you 've perform'd I 'le bring the King to see the Dreadfull sight That Gorgon like will turn him into stone Ex. Men. Arm. O Orgillus where do you mean to lead me My heart fore-bodes this ruinous design Will by the means of the Almighty powers Those Sacred Guardians of the Innocent Fall on our heads Org. An Idle fear Armenia For 't is not in the Power of fate it self To hinder the design we 've so well lay'd It is impossible it shou'd be discover'd Unless to one another we are false Arm. I hope my Orgillus does not doubt me I who for love of thee cou'd thus betray A Queen so kind so Innocent and Good Wou'd not at last discover the dear man Whom I have forfieted my faith to serve Org. No my best life thou dearest kindest Creature To doubt thee were a Sin unpardonable As much as 't is impossible to make A Return kind enough for thy deserts But see my Brother and the King approach Let us retire and fix the dreadfull Scene Ex. Omn. SCENE II. Enter King and Menaphon King O Menaphon thou 'st set me on the wrack What! an Appointment O my tortur'd Soul If that the Center now this very moment Labour'd to bring forth Earthquakes and Hell open'd Her wide stretch'd Jaws and let out all her furies I 'de rather stand the shock the brunt of all Then but to think 't is true that thou hast told me Men. My Leige shou'd I not be a desperate mad man To tell you this were I not Certain on 't By Heav'n I heard the dark Appointment made Nay more this very hour saw him go To 'th Queens Apartment King O Perfidious Monster But hast away shew me the Scene of Lust Let me behold her dallying in his Arms That I may shoot with swifter fate upon 'em Then the Keen'st Bolt in all the Forge of Heav'n Men. My Leige I will but yet 't were requisite Her Brother were a witness of her shame And for the greatest Plague to Ithocles Let his Marcelia too be a Spectator King It shall be so send speedily away And bid 'em meet me in the Queens Apartment Men. Who waits Nearchus Enter Nearchus Near. My Lord. Men. Away Hast to Marcelia and to Meleander And bid 'em instantly attend the King He 'le be i' th' Queens Apartment King Nearchus Here take my signet and release Marcelia And bid 'em not to make a moments stay Ex. Near. Men. Come Sir now you shall find how true I love you Now you shall see the care of your poor Servant With how much pains h 'as watcht these brooding Monsters And how at last h 'as ta'ne 'em in the toil King Light'ning and Earthquakes Horrour and despair O the high Billows of my Stormy Soul If it be so Mark mark me Menaphon No Lybian Lyons rob'd of her young Rowzes her self more fiercely from her Den Then I will do to crush this pair of Vipers O thou sha't see with what a brave Revenge I 'le tear the heart from the Adulteress And make the blood of the false Scorpion cure me Men. 'T will be but Justice for to wrong a King O Heav'n defend me it is so damn'd a Crime That Hell it self before ne're bred a Feind Cou'd entertain a thought so infamous But Sir the time draws near will you away King Yes I will go With Light'ning in my eyes in my heart Vengeance Exeunt Omnes SCENE III. The Scene drawn discovers Ithocles and Semanthe A-sleep on a Couch Arm in Arm. Enter Menaphon with a Light followed by the King Meleander and Marcelia King Patience you Gods hold hold my boyling blood O 't were a rare and Exquisite revenge To join their Hearts on my Swords point as close As their Ingend'ring lips Mele. What do I see Vengeance and Horrour do I wake or dream What Arm in Arm O I
And rely wholly on the King for mercy Arm. And are you reall Org. As the Powers we serve Arm. I thank you from my Soul my dearest Lord You have by this kind grant made me your vassall Org. Armena A long life to the fair Queen May she enjoy her former happiness And be as bless'd as thou wilt presently When I 've reveal'd our story to the King For sure 't will over-joy thee Orgillus drinks Arm. With more pleasure I wish her life then Heirs their Fathers Deaths Armena drinks out of the Poyson'd Bowle But O make hast lest his wild Jealousy Shou'd hurry him to do the fatall deed Which ne're can be recall'd Org. It shall not be recall'd nor sha't thou hinder it Arm. What means my Love Org. Dull thing I 'le tell thee I did as now I finde I had some cause Suspect thy mind too wav'ring for a Secret Of such great Consequence as ours was Therefore thou frail one with that bowl of poyson I 've Seal'd thy lips for ever Arm. Can it be Is this then the requitall of my love But Oh 't is now too late for to upbraid thee Yet Orgillus tho' you to me are Cruell Be mercifull to 'th Queen She 's Innocent O Save her save her e're it be too late Upon my knees with my last breath I beg you Do not persist in that will bring destruction Even to your long eternity and blot Your spotted Soul from the fair Book of Life Org. A fit of Conscience Pious fool but Conscience Is all our common frailty when we 're dying But to be kinder to you at our parting Then let you spend your last short breath in vain Imploy the little time thou hast to live Some other way and not on talk to me I have got by thee all the good I can If thou hadst had a farther Power to serve me Thou shoud'st have liv'd but I have gain'd my End And now 't is for my Int'rest thou shou'dst die Arm. You have your wish I find your words are true For Deaths Cold hand has seiz'd upon my heart Farewell thou Chief of thy false perjur'd Sex And O take heed for bloud will sure have bloud Tho' Cruell as you are I can forgive you And wish that Heav'n wou'd deal so mildly by you My death is only what I have deserv'd But O beware let not Semanthe Die For hers will surely be reveng'd at full The fatall Drug works strongly in my breast I feel I feel my life decay apace You powers forgive me for my Sinfull Crime Take me O take me to your bless'd abode Preserve the Queen let not this black designe Reach her dear life tho' it has lost â—e mine Die Org. She 's gone now Brother thou' rt secure from fear The Secret now 's alone between us two And if we are not Traytors to our selves We must be safe where shall I now dispose her Stay let me see under my window runs A River very proper for my purpose From thence Immediately I 'le cast her in And if she 's found ev'ry one will suppose She met her Death by accident or else My Brother shall Insinuate to the King She was Complotter with the Queen Semanthe And Guilt had caus'd her act a desperate deed It shall be so I 'le instantly dispatch And tell my Brother how I have Succeeded Farewell thou loving fool I pitty thee But 't was not for my safety thou shou'dst live For when we once are Conscientious grown We cannot keep a Secret tho' our own Exit Carrying off Armena The Scene Drawn discovers Semanthe in Prison In her Night-Gown Reading A Lamp burning by her Sem. All 's hush'd and quiet as the peacefull Grave The Labourer tyr'd with his dayly toil Now takes a sweet repose but I must wake For ever wake and never know content Plac'd in a dismall dark and Loathsome Jail And cannot guess what Crime I have Committed Nor why the Cruell King is Angry Were I but sensible of any fault I shou'd then think it Justice I were here But cou'd I search my life from the beginning I cannot think a Guilt deserving this Enter to her the King Whose there at this late hour my Lord the King King Yes yes Adulteress Look on me Monster look on him thou 'st wrong'd Behold a King that would have dy'd for'thee And for his faithfull violent Constant love Cou'dst thou not make him a more kind return Sem. O Sir as you wou'd gain Immortall honour On Earth and everlasting Joys in Heav'n As you wou'd have your Glorious actions fill The Book of fame and like ascending Incense Perfume the Skies and treat th' immortall Gods Be kind and let me know how I 've offended For by the Sacred lights that shine above These eyes yet never saw the rising Sun But that my Vows and Prayers were sent to Heav'n For the dear safety of my Royall Lord Therefore I cannot guess what wond'rous fauit I have Committed to deserve a Dungeon King O thou bewitching Syren dar'st thou plead An Ignorance to all thy horrid Guilt Nay then thou are a Monster damn'd indeed To Plunge in Sin and pretend Innocence I thought t' have found thee mourning for thy Crime For Sinfull as thou art it was my wish Thou might'st before thy Death make peace with Heav'n Sem. My death Good Heav'n what means my Royall Lord I hope that time is not yet near at hand King Most sure why cou'dst thou think I 'de be so tame After I 'de found thee false to let thee live Sem. How false my Lord in what King False to my bed I need not tell thee for thou know'st too well By Heav'n thou art as light as fleeting ayr Sem. Who 's my accuser King My own eyes beheld thee Clasp'd arm in arm with Ithocles Sem. Nay then I find I am Betray'd and you Abus'd King Betray'd Good Heav'n what does the strumpet mean Nay then 't is time to give the fatall blow For shou'd I listen longer to her words Aside She wou'd persuade me spight of all I saw To take her to my Arms and pardon her Come thou fair Devil in thy Prayers reckon to her The perfect sum of all thy horrid sins There amongst others pour forth streams of bloud For one above the rest Adul'try Adul'try Semanthe Such a guilt as were the Sluces of thy eyes let up Tears cou'd not wash it off Now turn thy eyes into thy hov'ring Soul And do not hope for life wou'd Angells sing A Requiem at my Herse but to dispense With my Revenge on thee 't wou'd be in vain Prepare to dye Sem. I will most willingly But wou'd fain make my Innocence appear Dear Sir upon my knees I do entreat you To hear me speak before my Execution If I were that strange Monster you wou'd make me It were but Justice you shou'd take my life But here I swear by the Eternal Powers By all my hopes in Heav'n I am not false Believe my tears King
falshood and her flowing Lust She is too rank to burn too light to drown Nay shou'd I bury the incarnate Monster Like the slain Gyants under Piles of Mountains Her dust like Aetna's flames wou'd burst through all Take thy own method let me see her dead I care not how Men. Well Sir I 'll do my best I must confess I wou'd not have her live For the respect I bear to my Royal Master Therefore I hope you will not change your mind King O never never shalt thou See me chang'd Thou 'lt rouz'd a sleeping Lyon whom no art Nor any thing can e're reclaim but blood Where was before my blinded folly driven Mercy what art thou get thee back to Heaven What has the race of man to do with thee Leave humane minds to nobler passions free Hence forward Death and Ruin Reign alone Make Hell your Vassal and the world your Throne Ex. King Manet Menaphon Men. 'T is done the fatal Train has taken fire I 'll follow him least he should change again By Heav'n I am all extasie to think Of the long prosp'rous chain of our success Once by thy doom proud Queen the very breath That durst repeat the sound of love was death But oh the pleasure of revenge to dart Thy own Retorted threats on thy own heart Yes thou hast scorn'd me Queen but know the wrongs Of slighted love shall knit their Scorpion thongs Whilst each disdainful step thou dost retire Thou tread'st on Graves and walk'st o're Piles of Fire Ex. Men. SCENE II. Enter Meleander and Lattinius Mele. Why do I live with such a load of sorrow Oppress'd with tortures of dispairing Love A Sisters shame my families dishonour Oh my Lattinius Can this weight be borne I went to see the false one and resolv'd To have dy'd my self in her polluted Blood But when the Prison door I wou'd have enter'd My trembling Joynts refus'd to bear me farther My Ominous Nostrils gush'd forthe Streams of Purple And to my thinking all the Heavns appear'd Like blazing Meateors hanging o're my head When straight a hollow voice had reach'd my ears Crying alloud thy Sister 's innocent 'T was surely more then the effects of fancy I left the place and to my Chamber went Stretch'd on the Floor and wash'd the Ground with tears My Sisters shame had left my memory And more distracting thoughts did enter in me Marcelia's scorn came fresh into my mind And to my wretched poor tormented Soul Set yawning kneen devouring Fate before me In her most dreadful black and hideous form Lat. I grieve to see your wond'rous discontent And needs must own an equal share with you For ev'ry sigh that comes from your sad Breast Whole streams of Blood flow from my tender Heart Mele. O my poor Boy Why why art thou thus kind Since fair Marcelia will not pitty me I wou'd have all the World abandon me Enter Marcelia crosing the Stage See where she comes what means my trembling Heart I 'll meet her though her frowns should strike me dead Mele. kneels before Mar. as she 's going off Oh cruel Beauty e're you move from hence Hear me one word and I shall dye in Peace Behold me at your Feet behold my sorrows She offers to go O do not leave me hear me first O hear me Think of the Pangs dispairing lovers feel Think of the torments I endure for you That do with such indiff'rency look on me Mar. Alass my Lord why should you talk to me To one that has already been deceiv'd O shall I e're believe a man again Since Ithocles he whom I thought the best Proved false Mele. Then why should you still love him Rather revenge his falshood pitty me And place your love on one that more deserves On him whose heart whose Soul is all your own And ne'er can be anothers Mar. So he swore And I fond fool believ'd it to be true But when he found my Heart was fixt to his My constant love so firm e're to be chang'd The Vows the Oaths he made to Heav'n and me He forfeited and gave his Soul away Then wou'd you have me trust a man again No you bless'd powers rather let me be plac'd In a wild Desert 'mongst a herd of Beasts The Wolf the Tygre and the spotted Leopard Are less devourers then faithless Men You may as soon call back the Sun stay time Prescribe a Law to death as ever find One true of all your perjur'd Sex A man The very name is monstrous Nay even the Breath that utters the vile sound Flies like infection over all the Air. Mele. Why shou'd you thus condemn the Sex for one Mar. For one for all Oh you are all the same All of one faithless lineage form creation Like twins in infidelity each feature And ev'ry vein fill'd up with the same falshood The Syrens Songs the Crocodiles false tears Are less deceitful then the oaths of men Mele. Hear me mistaken beauty by yon Heaven The words of Angels are not more sincere Then what I speak my love as fix'd and firm As Rocks of Adamant Mar. Hear me my Lord and hear me you bless'd powers To that false Image of your selves call'd man To you and all your Sex I bid farewel My fix'd resolves stand a decree of Fate Therefore no more endeavour to diswade me For when I do consent to love again May he I love with loath my hate receive me Eternal discord raise her bar between us May I his love as you do mine pursue And he fly me as thus I fly from you Ex. Mar. Mele. Then farewel Life and all my pains at once For by the Gods I 'll not outlive thy hate Lattinius if the love thou own'st be real When I am dead do me this Courtesie Bear to this cruel Woman my last words And let her know my love to her was true Lat. O Sir upon my knees I do intreat you Yet harbour patience who knows she may change 'T is certain Sir that Ithocles must dye And time may turn this resolution from her The Ephesian Matron for a while was constant And wash'd her Husband 's Grave with truest tears But at the last quite tir'd with useless sorrow She did receive a Lover to her Arms Marcelia may do this she is but a woman And subject to the frailties of her Sex Mele. I cou'd I hope she ever cou'd be moved With endless patience I cou'd wait the time Outlive th' old Patriarchs age in love grow hoary At her dear feet and wear like Aetna's top My Fire and Snow together Lat. Doubt not my Lord. Enter Bassanes Bas. I beg you 'd pardon my unwelcome news The Queen your Sister Sir Mele. Why what of her Bass. Must dye this day Mele. 'T is well Bass. My Lord Mele. 'T is well Wou'd in the Cradle sh 'ad resign'd her breath What death Bassanes Bass. Sir behind the Pallace The King decrees that she shall dye by fire Mele. By fire is that her doom Well 't
save thy Brother Org. What Remedy Time Patience Opportunity The fiercest Torrents of a womans Passion Has both its Ebbs and Flows her tide of Hate Strong as it is and bears down all before it May turn and turn to Love try her again You know the King now Wars with the Sicillians And leaves the Queen and Kingdom to your Care Cou'd any thing more favour your design Brother be ruled by me you know this Garden Is ev'ry night her walk before she sleeps Here meet with her and once more own your passion If she refuses you again forget her And leave the Scornfull Beauty to her self Men. Forget Semanthe 't is impossible Sooner the Glorious Sun shall turn its Course Motion and Nature their great work give o're And the Eternall Axis Rowle no more Enter Semanthe Org. Brother no more the Queen is coming this way Now if you ever hope to gain your wishes Be bold and your undaunted Passion speak Mean while I will retire to yonder Grove That Secresy and Silence may befriend you Exit Org. Men. Oh how I burn when I behold that face Turn turn Semanthe Cruell woman turn Sem. Bless me what mournfull Sound was that Men. Mournfull indeed And from the wretched'st man that sound was sent That ever sigh'd for Beauty great as your's Sem. This villain here how my heart shakes to see him aside What mean you Menaphon to him â—en O I must speak Though Death with Torments Tyrants ne're found out Stood ready for me I must say I love you Sem. As a Subject and t' will become you Men. O Gracious Princess if that blessed form kneels E're harbour'd pity for a wretch distressâ—d Shew some to me to me whom violent love Has tortur'd on the wrack of fruitless hope And anchor'd down my Soul in Seas of woe Sem. I understand you not Men. Then farewell Circumstance rises And since you are not pleas'd to understand me Tho' I have oft discours'd this Subject to you But by a plain and easy way of speech All Superstitious reverence layd by I love you as a man and as a man I wou'd enjoy you why d' ye start and fly me I am no monster and you 'r but a woman A woman made to yield and by example Told it is Lawfull favours of this nature Are in our Age no Miracles I' th greatest And therefore Madam approaching her Sem. Villain stand farther off Ungratefull Monster A Crime which Creatures wanting reason fly from Are all the Princely Bounties Favours Honours Which with some prejudice to his own wisdom Thy Lord and Raiser has Confer'd upon thee In such a short time bury'd has he made thee From one obscure allmost without name The envy of great Fortunes have I grac'd thee Beyond thy Rank and entertain'd thee as A Friend and not a servant and is this This Insolent attempt upon my Honour The fair return of both our ventured favours Men. Hear my excuse Sem. The fall'n Angells may plead mercy And with as much assurance as thou hope it This is not the first time Your treach'rous tongue has utter'd this wild outrage Think not I 'le Longer bear your Insolence What Smiles what friendships has my Lord showr'd on thee What a vast trust has he reposed in thee By leaving both his Kingdom and my self To thy protectian Villain think on this And let it quench the Feavour in thy bloud Men. All this I've done and many a weary night Have call'd these thoughts to my most strict rememb'rance Brought my soul up to honours bar and try'd The Cause of love at Conscience high Tribunall But oh in vain for now too late I find There is no Medicine for a tortur'd mind But freedom from the torture it sustains Therefore Divinest Princess Sem. Cease your Insolence Darst thou again with thy invenom'd breath After I had forbid thee strive to tempt me To Act a deed which my soul shakes to think on Know Traytor to reward this sawcy boldness I will not only paint thy barb'rous Guilt In its most hideous black Infernal form And to the Injur'd King present the Gorgon But rouse too my own Justice and Revenge Th' unquall'd Crime with forfeit of thy Head offers to go Men. Stay stay bright Angell hear me but one word O! tho' my fault deserves a Punishment Men. kneels she returns Greater then his who stole Joves fire from Heav'n Be you Compassionate and shew some mercy I must confess my fault unpardonable But oh consider what the force of Love is But yet indeed to own a love to you Was too presumptuous and I do repent it Sem. Can it be hoped After a practise so abhorr'd as thine Repentance e're can find thee Men. By your self By your bright self divinest Queen I swear And all those Powers that guard your Innocence Henceforth I never will in word or deed Make Repetition of my Lawless Love 'T is not the fear of Death makes me sue thus But a loath'd detestation of my madness That makes me wish to live to have your pardon Which Granted in your presence whom I 've wrong'd I 'le let out that Ranck bloud which caus'd my folly Sem. No rise rise Menaphon you have my pardon And shall my favour if you keep your Oath But if you do not by the Pow'rs that rule us By all the fury of an injur'd Princess I 'le lay aside all thoughts of gentle pitty And when thy life shall answer thy black deed Stand by with pleasure to behold thee bleed Ex. Sem. Manet Men. Men. She 's Gone for ever gone and I am lost Ne're speak of Love on forfeit of my life O why was I pick'd out from all Mankind To fix my Love on so much scorn and beauty And why since fate had destin'd me to love her Should any other man in peace possess her No if he do may fortune still pursue me With all her utmost and severest malice O 't would be rare revenge for my scorn'd passion To throw a burning brand in the Kings breast And make his Soul feel tortures great as mine Work stronger in my heart thou dear revenge For thou art now all Musick to my sense Enter Orgillus Whose there My Brother Orgillus Org. The same What have you spoke to her Men. Yes I have sued Kneel'd wept and begg'd but tears and vows and words Move her no more then Summer winds a Rock She threat'ned to discover to the King All that I ever mention'd of my love Which had she done I know my Orgillus My Life must needs have been the fatall forfiet Which to prevent I 've bound my self by Oath Never to mention my rash love again Org. And will you keep that Oath Men. By Heav'n I will But yet I will not loose her unreveng'd This King that detains all my happyness Shall live in Torments great as I endure Curss'd Jealousy that Poys'ner of Content Shall put an end to all his quiet here And O take heed Semanthe for the Plot
Fate far worse then those Sicillians Whom his Victorious Arm has Lodg'd in Graves For we have not alone Conspired his fall But what will add more pleasure to revenge His Soul for that short time he lives on Earth Shall feel worse Torments then the damn'd endure O what a Scene have we in one night laid To ruine both a King a Queen and Fav'rite Org. Brother you yet forget the greatest Point The Plot we 've laid we can't perform alone But by the help of some that 's near the Queen We may with ease Accomplish our design Armena Confident to fair Semanthe I once did make some shew of kindness to And till the Fruit I tasted lov'd the Tree And tho' my passion does apace decline To further our design I 'le yet love on At least pretend I do she she shall aid us I know for the past pleasures we have had And for those many more she hopes t' enjoy She 'l be assisting to what e're I ask Men. But Orgillus will she be faithfull to us Org. That is indeed against her Sexes nature But if she 's secret till we 've workt our ends A bowl of Poison stops her tongue with ease Men. O thou art most Ingenions at contrivance By Heav'n I am all Extasy to think With what a brave Revenge I pay her scorn But Orgillus our Vengeance stops not there The Scene of blood will yet far higher grow For when the Hot the fiery Meleander The Brother to this scornfull piece of Beauty Shall from the King hear of his Sisters shame I know his boyling bloud will rise so high That his wild rage will be his own undoing Then then my Brother when the Royal Line Is by the King 's fierce Jealousy destroy'd Who then remains to take the Crown but me Ambition and Revenge have fired my Soul And I 'm Impatient till the work is done Org. Brother be Temperate for rashness often Spoils those designs that have with care been laid And roots up their Foundations See Armena Now smooth-fac'd flattery assist my Cause And dear dissimulation stand my Friend Retire my Menaphon it is not fit You should be seen till I have wrought her to us Men. I go and may success attend thy purpose Ex. Men. Enter Armena Org. Madam you 're grown a perfect stranger to me There was a time when it was otherwise Arm. There was indeed but now that time is past You did obtain my easy Love too soon And scorn the prize which was so quickly won Now other beauties do possess that heart Which once I thought my own but O fond fool Why did my vanity extend so far To think that I had Charms enough to keep One of that Sex which ne're were constant yet Org. Armena I confess I 've been unkind But oh it was not without wond'rous reason Arm. Did I e're give you cause No Orgillus The tender Mother of her sucking Infant Was never half fo fond as I of thee I must confess indeed I was below ye But sure my Love might make amends for that What cause then coud'st thou find so soon to slight me Org. O my best life think not 't was want of love No my Armenia I so truly love thee That to thee I 'le unclasp my burthen'd Soul Empty the store-house of my thoughts and heart Make my self poor of Secrets will not leave One thought untold that dwells within my breast Arm. What e're it be my Lord that does disturb you O Let me know 't that I may bear a part Org. Thou shalt my Love but oh take heed Armena Be very Cautious and keep close the secret For 't is so great my life relies upon 't Arm. Can Orgillus then doubt me Oh unkind That very word Confirms you do not love Org. Pardon me dearest I 'le distrust no more Know then the King the Queen and Ithocles Did all conspire my Ruine and disgrace I once was favour'd and belov'd at Court I was the darling of the King and People But when the King was wedded to Semanthe All that great love which he before had shewn me He took away at once from Orgillus And streight bestow'd it on Semanthe's Brother This I forgave and thought it was my duty To resign place to 'th Brother of my Queen But Oh a worse disgrace he threw upon me For Ithocles this upstart Favourite Crept into the opinion of the Queen And by her mediation to the King Got from me all the Offices I bore and gave 'em all to him This this Armenia hangs upon my Soul More heavy far then lies the Load on Atlas But didst thou Love didst thou but truly Love I yet might find a way to crown my peace Arm. O name it Orgillus and if I fail T' assist in ought that may produce thy quiet May I ne're taste the Joys that are on Earth Nor the Immortal pleasures dwell in Heav'n Org. Thou only Miracle of woman kind How cou'd I merit so much wond'rous Goodness Know then Armena to revenge my wrongs I have design'd the death o' th King and Queen But cannot do 't without thy kind assistance Arm. How Orgillus Org. What d' ye start Armena Nay then I have deliver'd up my life To one that has determin'd to betray me Arm. Indeed my Lord this is the only thing I shou'd i' th least have scrupled to have done But yet to shew how well how true I love I 'le strive in this to serve my Orgillus Org. O let me take thee Closer to my heart My dearest Saint my life my Soul my heav'n Arm. I must Confess I could not easily Embarque in a design of so much horrour But O my Lord you have receiv'd indignities Disgrace so infamous and wrongs so Lowd Enough to shake a Saint wrongs of that weight That I have wonder'd you cou'd bear and Love Nay but to think what crying Injuries What vile injustice the ingratitude Of a false Court has heap'd on my dear Lord Has sometimes Rowz'd that Gall that Just resentment Even in poor poor Armena that I 've wish'd A Masculine Nerve in this female Arm Able to weild a Sword in your hard cause And be my dearest injur'd Love's Avenger Org. My Beauteous Champion my Lovely Heroine In what a mighty Sum shall I be bound Arm. I must be gone the Queen will streight expect me But oh my Orgillus with thee I leave My Heart which shall be ever faithfull to thee And tho' the world my fault will disapprove I 'de venture more to serve the man I love Exit Arm. Manet Orgillus Org. Poor Loving fool with how much ease thou' rt caught That man that wou'd Successfull be in mischief Must by one means or other hook in woman Mischief's they 'r study mischief is their Trade And sure t' was for that only they were made For when a woman once in mischief Joyns She 's sure to gain whatever she designs Enter Menaphon Now Brother Tryumph things exceed our wishes I 've wrought
Of thy bless'd presence makes me feel new life On to the Temple where when we have given Our thanks to the great Powers that have preserv'd us Impatiently I 'le wait the approach of night Then wrap'd in loves Immortall Paradice I 'le revell in unutterable Bliss Exit Omnes Praetor Itholes Itho. Strike home dear Thunder end my ling'ring pains Did ever Lover feel my Pangs and live Never was man surrounded with my Glory Th' intire possessor of the Constant love Of one so Beauteous so divinely fair And yet am doom'd to famish in despair So the poor naked Slave diggs in the mine And sees the Glittering Ore around him shine But does with hopeless eyes that wealth behold Wretched and starv'd amidst a mine of Gold Exit The End of the Second Act. The Third ACT. SCENE I. Meleander discover'd in 's Night-Gown Mele. NIght Clad in black mourns for the loss of day And hides the Silver spangles of the Sky That not a spark is left to light the world Whilst quiet sleep the Nourisher of life Takes full possession on mortality All Creatures take their rest in soft repose No Spirit moves upon the breast of Earth But howling Dogs night-Crows and Screeching Owles Despairing Lovers and Pale Meager Ghosts Enter Lattinius Lattinius here why dost thou break thy rest This is an hour wretches shou'd only wake Why weeps my pretty Boy Latt To see your Sorrow And think it is not in my Power to help you For by those Sacred Guardians over us I cannot think that dang'rous Enterprize I wou'd refuse to purchase your content Mele. Alas my sufferings are past thy redress But yet I thank thee for thy care and Love I doat on one colder then Alpine Snow One that would rather dye to please my Rivall Then live the Empress of the World with me Is there a cure for this O there is none For were there any pittying God above Touch'd with Commiseration of my grief And shou'd descend to plead in my behalf By Heav'n I think she wou'd with scorn receive him Stand the Temptation of a Golden show'r And Jove himself in all his shapes unalter'd Latt Might I without offence declare my thoughts I 'de have you cast your eyes on other beauties Search natures Store and find some noble'r choice T' adorn your Nuptial bed Mel. O if I cou'd Embrace thy Counsell I were truly happy But know I love and dye for that dear Charmer And Cruell as she is must still persist Another Choice No 't is impossible The rest of that fair Compar'd with her Wou'd seem like drossy mettalls to pure Gold Latt O dismal sound in all this mighty Transport I find but little hopes for poor Statillia Aside But yet my Lord Mel. O talk no more Lattinius Unless thy words are praises of her beauty Describe each grace of the Divine Marcelia Let every thing thou utter'st sound her name And I will sit and listen to thy Musick As sweet as the Melodious Quires of Heav'n Or sure Salvation to departing Souls Latt Why should it be so sweet to hear the name Of one whose Pride is to be your Tormentor Who is the Cause of all your sighs Marcelia Who is 't that makes you curse your fate Marcelia Who is it that unmans you but Marcelia Who is 't that pays your constant love with scorn Who is 't that doats on Ithocles your Rivall Marcelia still whose very name is Musick Sweeter then the Melodious quires of Heav'n Marcelia is the cause Mel. No more I charge you For your Officious love grows troublesome Away begone and leave me to my thoughts Still art thou here Latt Alas I cannot leave you Upon my knees I beg if you e're lov'd Forgive my forward Zeal and let me serve you I 'le to this Cruell woman tell her all Describe each Pang that tears your Love-sick heart Count o're the hours you wast in sad Complaints If she was nurs'd by any thing but Tygers I doubt not but to move Compassion in her Try me my Lord Mel. Alas 't will be in vain She 's Colder then the North Impenitrable As Rocks of Adamant and scarce will hear A message sent from me Latt Fear not my Lord. Mel O I have wondrous reason But since I find thou wou'dst fain do me service For once I will Imploy thee tell her then If Possible each sigh thou 'st heard me utter How much above the world I prize her Love Tell her what dangers I wou'd undertake To Gain one smile from her wilt thou do this Latt Indeed my Lord I will Mel. My better self But see the morning-Star breaks from the East To tell the world her great Eye is awak'd To take his Journey to the western Vales. And now the Court begins to rise with him Go to her then my faithfull dear Lattinius Lay if thou canst my Dying Groans before her And Bath her feet with tears to move her Soul Latt I will do all that lies within my Power Mel. Farewell my Pretty Boy and some kind Angell Instruct thee with the means to gain her Pitty Exit Mele. Latt O misery was ever fate like mine To Languish for the love of that dear man Whose heart alass is Conquer'd by another The rest Of my more prosperous Sex compared with me Are Goddesses in Glitt'ring Chariots ride And make their Lovers vassalls to their Pride But I poor I seek mine and am deny'd Exit SCENE II. Enter Menaphon and Orgillus Men. Now Brother does the fatall time draw on That must or give me Death or full revenge For all the Scorn and slights were thrown on me By that Proud haughty and disdainfull Beauty This hour shall put an end to all her quiet For I will work the King to that degree Of Rage and Jealousy that if his Soul Can harbour any sence of those great wrongs As he most Certain shall believe is done him I know Immediate Death must be her Lot And sure destruction to the man you hate Org. O that the wish'd for deed were once effected That I might see this Rivall to my Glory Fix'd in a Dungeon or his hated Soul Sent to the place where I cou'd wish it Hell Men. Doubt not my Brother but that time 's at hand Look on the Liquor this small Glass Contains Infuse three drops of it i' th wine he drinks So many hours his Sences will be shut And Lay him in the Leaden hand of sleep Which when perform'd we may with as much ease Work our designs on him as 't is to think it Org. By Heav'n thy Plot deserves Eternall Fame But Brother near as we can guess the hour Let it be when the Queen prepares for Supper Armena at that time by Instructions Shall give Semanthe the same sleeping Draught Men. Haste then my Brother tell her our design Whilst I infect the King with Jealousy He comes this way retire leave me alone And doubt not but we shall have wish'd success Org. Farewell And in each
know what spells Betray'd me to the Embraces of the Queen You know the Villany of Menaphon For sure 't was his most damnable design That did Convey me to that fatall place By what curst drugs he shut my senses up That when I wak'd I spy'd my own undoing Enter Marcelia Marcelia here then sorrow take thy leave And nought but Joy inhabit in my breast O to my Arms thou Goddess of my days Why dost thou thrust me from thee O my Soul Do not thou join too with the Angry powers And make my mighty load of misery More heavy then before Mar. No perjur'd Man I come not here t'upbray'd you with your Crime But since the King has given me his permission To let me see you know my Lord I come To take my Eternal leave Itho. What means my Love I know indeed my death draws on a-pace My innocence by Villany's betray'd But hoped my Marcelia wou'd have been more kind Then ever to suspect my Constancy Mar. Suspect Alas 't was more then bare suspition 'T was not the Power of the World cou'd move me Had I not seen it to believe thee false But when clasp'd Arm in Arm I did behold thee And after that thou durst forswear thy Crime It adds the Sin of Perjury to Falsehood And makes thee seem a Mon'strous thing indeed Itho. By the Eternal Lamps that light the Skies 'T was Villany and damn'd Contrivance all The Plot and Treachery of Menaphon The Queen is Innocent as unborn babes Tho' fal'n with me in that curs'd Traytors snare Mar. O Men Men who wou'd e're believe your Oaths The Moon does not so often change her Course As you do Change your loves I 'le hear no more Let me but take one look from those dear eyes And now false Sex farewell offers to go Itho. O stay dear Angell stay Mar. No my unkind false Lord farewell for ever Itho. Stay but one minute stay mistaken sweetness Kneels Do not forsake your Loyall prost'rate slave Here I take root and grow into my Grave Till I have gain'd belief of my Marcelia O hear me hear me for by you bright Heav'n My oathes are true the Gods can witness for me They see they know my heart my truth my Soul Mar. O Ithocles Stop stop that fatall Eloquence Such were the very Sounds that first undid me Thou true no Cruell man speak it no more I will not hear it named it is a sound I never can believe from man again Wou'd you be so unkinde t' undo me more Did I not see you false saw your imbraces Itho. What shall I say is there no pittying God That will descend a witness of my truth Mar. No there is none they all have seen thy falsehood Farewell and O that fatall name of love I now shall hear no more Heav'n grant you freedom And may you long inherit happiness Possess in ev'ry thing your wish whilst I Go seek some Melancholly Cell and Die Ex Mar Manet Ithocles Itho. Not hear my Innocence thou sha't fair murd'ress I 'le Thunder't in thy Ears till I am dead Nay when thy scorn has layd my bones in dust I 'le burst my Marble Load and tell thee Tyrant Thou wert the Chiefest cause of my affliction Yes thou sha't hear My murmuring Groans thy murder'd Lover's Groans Whilst all thy Glorious Locks those beauteous Tresses On thy Prowd Forehead fix'd with horrour stand Erected like the strutting Porcupine And the bright fires in those bewitching eyes Wane and burn Pale at my approaching Ghost And Wish too late for what thy Scorn had lost Exit Ithocles SCENE V. A Banquet set forth Two Bowls on the Table Enter Orgillus Org. I 've sent according to my Brothers order To bid Armena meet me instantly 'T is near the hour I did appoint her coming How easy 't is for man to be a villain He that desires to bend his mind to mischief Let him but be a fix'd Industrious knave And he can never fail of his designs I hated Ithocles conspir'd his fall Assisted Menaphon in his designe Against a Queen virtuous and Innocent But why shou'd I conspire Armena's Death I cannot guess what Crime she has Committed But I have waded into villany And to proceed's less dangerous then retreating The deeper Gulph I have plung'd o're and now Have but the shallower Brink to ford it through Enter a Servant How now your news Ser. Armena Craves admittance Org. Conduct her in Exit Servant Keep back you Checks of Conscience You shou'd have stung me e're I had began This damnable design 't would now be base To start from what so firmly was resolv'd Enter Armena She comes the Sacrifice draws toward the Altar Come near my love why does my Angell weep Why drops the precious dew from those fair eyes Art thou not well what means that sigh Armena If thou didst ever love me tell the cause Arm. O Orgillus O cruell bloody man To what a Sea of Ruine have you brought me Org. Is 't Possible do you repent your kindness Arm. Oh as you hope for happiness hereafter As you wou'd gain Immortal peace of Heav'n Be just and save the Queen and Ithocles Declare to th' King your cursed mint of Forgery Lay open all your Plot of bloud and horrour And save your own your Brothers Soul and mine For sure Damnation must attend our Crime That thus betrays a pair so Innocent Org. How my Armena What! betray the secret Wou'dst thou then have me Traytor to my Brother Betray the man that has walk'd hand in hand Assisted me in my Revenge O horrid Arm. A Traytor to him no you 'l be 's friend You free him from Eternal Punishment D' ye think that Heav'n which is in all things Just Will suffer treachery like ours to scape The Punishment our Treason has deserv'd Upon my knees I beg you as you hope For pleasure here and happiness hereafter Go to the King tell him your damn'd designe His Joy to finde the Queen is Innocent Will make him pardon us for our past crimes And all the ill we have already done Will be for ever Cancell'd and forgot Org. Sit down my love and tell me shou'd I now Go to the King acknowledge ev'ry fault Tell him by what strange execrable means We brought those Innocents into our Snare D' ye think he wou'd forgive us Arm. Not that only But Favour us esteem us his best freinds Commend our happy bless'd Remorse of Conscience Think ev'ry hour of our remaining life Will be repentance as I 'me sure it ought To wash the Guilt away that Clogs our Souls Org. Since then Armena 't was the love of me Betray'd thee into our dark Consultation I will to thee unfold my nearest Secret My Brother and my self had so design'd The morrow for Semanthes Execution But now to shew my Gratitude and love Together with a sharp remorse of Conscience I 'le change my Cruell and too barbr'ous purpose Content my self with what 's already done