I have out-liv'd her Fall 'T is onely to outact her Vengeance She Poor Martyr dyed too soon Her closing Eyes Shut out that charming scene the rowzing Thunder Hung o're her punisht Ravishers head she dyed Before her dear Revenge But I would live For mine if thou darst let me live live Tyrant To wake the arming World for thy Destruction Oront Oh hold my fair Accuser think oh think When my mad Rage and all my brutall Fires Walk'd forth with that too hideous Arme of Death T was onely Love that struck the barbarous Blow Claris. Love Oront All commanding all resistless Love Alas I saw the cruell Clarismunda Deaf to my sighs and pray'rs my happy Rivall With all the Pride of an insulting Conquerour Even in his Chains my Tyrant the blest Lord Of Clarismunda's Heart Think how I saw The flaming Sword and my seal'd Gates of Paradice And if my burning Love and boyling Envy Swell'd my Despair too high impute th' Effects To a too powerfull Cause Alas I cut Th' excluding Barr betwixt my Heav'n and Me. Claris. Yet hold This Insolence outsins thy first black Guilt What tho th' Injustice of our partiall Destiny Threw the unhappy Champion of our Cause By Warrs rough Chance a Captive in thy Pow'r Dares thy Barbarity make Love great Love A Plea for Murther Could that noble Passion Transforme thee to a Ruffian Had'st thou been That Godlike thing a Lover thou d'st have seen Thy happy Rivall with more generous Envy And in thy glorious Indignation free'd him From his vile Chains bid him dispute his Title To Clarismunda's Heart with his drawn sword Had he so faln and his triumphant Conquerour Staind with his warm warm Blood thus hadst thou woed me But in cold Murder his poor naked Throat Given up to Butchers Hands thy Slaves and Hangmen Shame of a Throne thou eternall Brand of Empire Oront And is this all my Love must ever hope Claris. Hope wretched King why does thy tiresome Folly Force my repeated Scorne both of thy Crown and Thee Thus often to pronounce the fatall never Oront Never Claris. Shoud this degenerate Breast descend so low Buâ— to Dream Kindness to Orsanes Murderer I 'de tear my Traytour Heart up by the Roots But for so poor a Thought Love thee Yes King If to owe thee Curses more then Plagues can pay thee Thy dying Groans more Musick to my soul Then all the Quires of Heaven be Love I love thee Oront Well Madam you have sworn my seal'd Destruction And rather then a Doom from that fair Mouth Should want the Weight of Fate with my own Hand I 'le ayd my Labouring Destiny Go Briomar Draw out ten Thousand Horse and in their Head Bear that relentlâ—ss Beauty back to Persia A Presentt ' her avenging Brothers Arms. Claris. Ay King do This Oront Yes go dear charming Death Bring the whole summond Force of Heav'n and Earth To hunt down this Babarian Too cruell Vengeance at Thy Tyrant call All thy arm'd shafts on this doom'd Head must fall And Humble kneeling Love shall bear e'm all But dear remorsless Fair if all the pangs Of my poor bleeding Heart Claris. All the old Hatefull Theme No more no more Remember King I have Your sacred Promise To send me back to my avenging Brothers Oront True I have promised and the dread Command Of Clarismunda though at no less price Then my Souls Death shall be obey'd Go Briomar Performe your Charge conduct that fair Inexorable T' her Royall Brothers Arms But tell those Brothers Yes lay my blushes and my shame before e'm And tell the injur'd Majesty of Persia My soul unman'd and all my Reason drownd I did that shamefull Deed. But tell e'm too The Brute offended but the King repents Tell e'm instead of all their Arm'd Revenge Death Fire and Sword sack Towns and burning Citys Kind Hymens Torch presents a gentler Fire Claris. No more vain talking Frenzy Oront Yes beauteous Cruelty Tell e'm that Mighty Love Claris. That Mightier Vengeance Oront With all the Eloquence of immortall Truth Claris. With all the Horrours of Eternall shame Oront For Mercy Mercy call Claris. For Blood for Blood Oront For Blood than since no less then Blood must pay Go Briomar that Voice of Death obey Arme Arme the World against this hated Head And forge the Bolts to strike this Monster dead Go Fairy Treasure Vanishing Brightness go But Clarismunda If Thou must kill why the poor Persian swords Why arming Worlds and angry Heav'n against me No fairer Deity weil'd thy own bright Vengeance Thy Eyes the Gods Expence of Thunder save And lend me from their Darts a nobler Grave Exuent all but Celestina and Rosalin Celest Now Rosalin what thinkst thou of my Sybill My Scythian Prophetess Rosal Think Celest Dost not see We are moving to a fairer Feild of Fortune The Court of Persia Beauties bright Meridian How looks her kind prediction now Do's not My Royall Conquest wear a promising Face Rosal Fantom and Phrenzy Celest Spight and Envy No Thou snarling Infidell th' Oraculous Truth Had Heav'n in 't and I must and will beleive her Rosal Well if your Faith 's so strong beleive and prosper Celest Yes Rosalin and to confirme that Faith Sleeping this night I saw the sweetest Vision Methoughts a glittring Troop danced all around me Clapt their gay Wings and in one ecchoing Voice Stupendious Words that lightend as they spoke Saluted me with Hayle thou Beauteous Miracle Go on thou Royall Conquerour so conquer Till Poets make thee their Eternall Song And wanton Painters like the bold Prometheus When they 'd give Souls to shadows from thy Heav'ns Shall Steal th' immortall Fires Ros. By Love all Rapture Cel. No sooner was the gaudy Vision vanish't But straight I dreamt of that fair Grecian Dame That drew the Swords of the Contending Universe The glorious subject of a ten years War And the no less immortall Cleopatra Her bleeding Antony and persuing Caesar With burning Troys and Worlds for Beauty lost Ros Well Celestina if no less Originals Then Egypts Cleopatra or Greek Helens Are those fair Eyes your golden Dreams must copy In that blest day expect my duteous Homage Amongst your kneeling slaves Cel. Yes that blest Day Now to the Court that Lottery of Beauty Where all the Fair for the great Prize put in And boldly stake their All to lose or win And whilst one Hand at an unhappy Fling Draws but a Blank the other draws her King With the same Hope for the same Lot Iâ—le go And try if there 's a Monarch for my Throw Exeunt Scene changes to a Pallace Enter Tygranes Tygr. What art thou Love that thus out liv'st Despair Oh thou whose too strong vital Pulses beat When hope thy Life is dead Too fair Herminia Tho' lost for ever lost thy haunting Form Array'd with all thy Charms glides dazling by Whilst my devouring Soul leaps forth to meet thee And grasps at fleeting Ayr. Too dear Herminia Yes I will love
into Discourse in the mean while in dumb show with the Queen and Tygr. Amor. Mirvan dost mark that Charming Stranger there Mir. Ay and that firing King too aside to Amorin King That Lady to Artaban Art My dread Lord King That fair one Celest Shoot home my Charms now my Prophetick Glory aside Mir. Shine out fair stranger aside to Celestina Celest Boy Mir. There 's Honour near ye Tygr. Dear Sister these Resenting Murmurs speak With such an Emphasis Clar. Do they speak Brother They must act too These wrongs that find a Tongue Must find an Arm Tygranes Tygr. Yes Royall sufferer Thou shalt have Vengeance Vengeance Clarismunda If Arming Man and ayding Heaven can give it thee Clar. Do this and all my work of Life is done And when thy Sword draws bloud drink deep my Brother Remember nothing but a pile of Death Can build the Tomb of Love Build thou that Tomb For Clarismunda then I dare dye pleas'd When I have seen my blazing monument rays'd King Succeed and Challenge that Reward my Artaban to Arta. Exeunt all but Celestina and Mirvan Celest 'T is don 't is done I read it in his Eyes The Golden Shaft and all the whole Blind God Now my kind Sybill thou hast fullfill'd thy Promise And I could kneel to thank thy Charming Oracle Oh Beauty Love and Triumph wait thy Throne Hold my kind Toyl but fast the Game 's my own Exit Mir. So a poor Slave has Charms to snare a King Yes fair unknown th' Imperiall Thunderer Hangs gathering o're thee in a glittering Shower And 't is but spreading of thy Smiles before him To catch the Golden God well There 's Love for you Death what was I born for Love 's not my Province The Sweets of Life are banish't from these Lips Kind Nature stampt me in Heavens Image Man Born with a Face perhaps t' have Captived Queens Till mercinary Infamous Barbarity An Evnuch Monster basely rob'd my Cradle And left me a dull Drone of the Creation Since then the Gall and Dreggs of Life are all My Portion to requite the spightfull worlds Unkindness let me this one pleasure find To doal round my own Draught to all Mankind Finis Actus Secundi ACT. III. SCENE I. Herminia discover'd Sleeping on a couch attended by Mirvan and Amorin Song WHy do's the Idle World mistake And Love a Godhead make If Love were Heav'n like Heav'n t wou'd last And the Immortall Joys would never dye Ah no false man at ev'ry blast In broken Vows Loves fleeting Shadows fly Down then let all his Glorys fall His Templet Altars Empire all To dirt and Ashes trod For oh the Fools for oh the Fools that make blind Love a God So when fair Celia mournd to find Philander so unkind She saw the Tempest yoll too fast And all o'respread her rising Mornings dawn Her louring Fate was quite o'recast And her Ecclipsing Glorys all withdrawn But tho' there shine such fading Jemms In brittle Earthly Diadems Poor Celia ne're despair There 's Starrs above there 's starrs above to crown thee brighter there The Scene shuts and Mir. and Amo. advance upon the Stage Amor. OH Mirvan this fair Scythians Charms are sure Made up of Prodigy and the blind God Has stockt her with such Shafts her Eyes Disdain To play a lesser Game then Miracles Mir. Miracles indeed An unknown Stranger face Who or from whence Hell knows to catch a Monarch from a young Princely Bride the fair Herminia A Beauty scarce Enjoy'd The very Virgin Blushes on her Cheeks Still warme that lovelyest Rose gather'd but yesterday And all the fragrant Sweets thrown by to day Abandon'd Slighted ay and all this too By the strange Charms of such an Easy wanton That Scarce held out the Courtship of an hour But See the glittring Pageant moves this way With what Devouring ravenous Eyes he swallows The fair Destruction Amor. Put my dear Lost Mrs. The poor Herminia what a mournfull part Hast thou in this gay Scene Too unkind King Was it for this in thy first blooming Youth By thy Imperiall Fathers kind Commission A Visitant in the fair Court of India That Early Votary t' Herminia's Eyes Thou knelst at those dear Feet Sweet injur'd Goodness My heart bleeds for thee Mir. Troth so does not mine Amor. How Mirvan canst thou see our Royall Mrs. The poor neglected Queen thus Scorn'd thus Slighted Without one pitying Thought Mir. A pitying Thought Faith none at all Amor. Canst thou be Man and say this Mir. No Fool were I a man I should not say this But when the cursed Luxury of Greatness As the early brand of a Court Slave A dog a nobler Creature took Man from me It took Humanity too Spight darling Spight Amor. But See the Queen and Princess Mir. Well if this fair Scythian Wanton This white she-devil do not prove at last That firebrand that State-Firebrand as shall one day Set Persia in a Flame if this she-Phaeton Prove not at last the arrantest State-grievance E're ruin'd Monarch or Suck't Nation poor May my Propheticks be believed no more Enter Queen and Clarismunda Queen The Treasure of my soul my dear Lords Love The hoarded Mass of a whole Ages Bliss All by one midnight Thief for ever lost Clar. Indeed my Royall Sister thy sad Story Melts pity from my Eyes and trust me dear Herminia My own unhappy Load of Miseries Have drein'd these Streams so low their did not want Thy Sufferings to rayse a second Spring Queen This generous Sense of my hard Fate speaks thee So truly kind Claris. So truly just Herminia For in the deep Resentments of thy Wrongs Mine is no common Share 'T was Clarismunda Was their unfortunate Cause That infamous Creature That Scythian Devill my unhappy Favourite By my mistaken Charity to that Deluding Face the fatall Cockatrice Egg Hatcht by my warmth to all this brood of Mischiefe Queen Nay Clarismunda charge not Thy fair Virtue With so unjust a Stain Thy part was innocent When angry Providence resolves to kill It easily finds the Means Misery and Misfortune still like Weeds and poysons Shoot Alas they want a very little Root Clar. Sweet murmuring Turtle hush thy mournfull plaints And bear thy Soul above the Worlds poor spight Let thy dark shades make thy fair Truth more bright 'T is the True Diamond that shines by night And then the frowns of Fortune we out brave When Grief is not our Tyrant but our slave Exeunt Enter Orontes disguis'd attended onely by Briomar Oront Yonder she moves my louring planet moves But why do I not follow her run to her Run to my doom and catch her blasting fires Bid all her blazing Bolts of Thunder turn Court the Keen Lightning of her Eyes and burn Briom Oh Royall Sir think to what threatning Danger Will your Rash Love expose your Life and Glory Yes if bold Truth may speak to what unprincely Nay what unmanly Dangers Oront Preaching fool No more profane Reflections on a Cause So
sacred Briom Can there be a Cause so sacred To draw you forth from your abandon'd Kingdoms And in this poor Disguise to quit your Throne Briomar Oront Quit Thrones quit Worlds quit Earth and Heav'n my Run mad despair and dye Briom Dye Sir Oront Yes dye To Deaths short pain from lingring Tortures fly Plunge the Vast Deep and launch to that blest shore Where Clarismunda's Scorn can kill no more Briom Death I confess is Woes last certain Remedy But when the Great seek Death they ought to meet him In the fair Paths of Glory Poorly dying Is worse then basely Living Sir consider You 're born to Empire hold the Charge of Kingdoms A Royall Cause and a protected people Besides behold a gathering Storm before you Arms at your Gates and Vengeance round your Walls Advanceing Enemies and pushing Fate That Death thou seek'st seek nobly King Crown'd Heads Should not fall crusht like poor despairing slaves But build their Monuments when they digg their Graves Oront Kind Briomar I thank thy honest Love 'T is true the Charge of Empire lyes upon us Yet Heav'ns Vicegerents are not so all Gods But we have a little of the Man about us Shackled with Soveraignty and tyed up to Honour We are not so fast to golden Fetters curst But Love one Link of the long Chain may burst Oh Briomar I have that last Account yet to make up To that Fair Tyrants Ear before I dye That as thou valuest my Eternall Peace By all thy Loyalty I must conjure thee Under the shelter of this kind Disguise To gain me an Access But one blest Minute At Clarismunda's Feet Briom But in this kind Disguise can you so rule Your master'd Passion as to keep your shrow'd No frantick start to burst your guardian Cloud Sir dare you promise me Oront Yes I dare promise Shall I performe my Briomar Briom How Sir Oront No more I 'le be obey'd Briom Then Sir my Duty shall dispute no more Th' Access shall be obtain'd Though I much fear Effects too dismall Oront Leave Effects to Fate Love spurs the Leap and Danger Checks too late Exeunt Scene a Room of State Enter Celestina Rosalin and Women Ros Madam five hundred Talents from the King Cel. Have Kist my Hand this Morning Ros From Great Love A fair presented Sum. Cel. To buy me pins A small Oblation But my Royall Vassall Remembers his Allegiance knows his Duty And pays my Eyes their Tribute Now my Rosalin How dost thou like the Port our Greatness bears Say is a Monarchs Heare a Toy worth wearing Rosal Your Conquest is a perfect Raign of Wonders Cel. Nay I have conquer'd now And such a Conquest That surfeited Delight and gorged Ambition Have drunk so deep that they can thirst no more Ros Madam the Princess Cel. Ha! What brings her here perhaps The Consciencious Fool comes to Preach Honour Herminia's Wrongs and Celestina's Fraylty If so I am resolv'd I will receive her Like my great self the Mistress of a Pow'r The World 's too weak to shake Enter Clarismunda Claris. I stoop beneath My self when I descend To talk with Sin and Shame But sweet Herminia A Champion in Thy Cause commanding Justice Forgive the Faults offending Honour makes No the proud Theif the Syren has undon thee Shall not move off with Her Rich prize so tamely I 'le talk with the gay Sin and glittring Infamy Cel These happy Walls and their more happy Mistress Thus honour'd and thus grace'd Beleive me Madam You 've so surprized me with this wondrous Goodness Took me so unprepared for a Reception Worthy of such a Guest Claris. Hold there 's no need Of so much courtly Ceremony All I came to meet I 've found thy self and wish The Visitant I bring thee may receive But half this promis'd welcome Cel. If I am All You came to seek I am proud that you have found me And prouder to receive whate're Commands Honour can give or Honour can obey As such no doubt you bring me speak Your pleasure Clar. Honour Oh thou hast named the richest Jem That e're adorn'd the Fair True Honour Beauties Inestimable wealth whilst we wear Thee We have inexhausted Mines of endless Treasure Enough t' enrich the world Where Honour Shines Our Eyes are Sparks of Heaven 'T is that kind Sun That lights 'em into Stars The Great just Powers Made us the fairest work of their Creation Till our own faults our own defacing Shame Unmakes the work of Gods Celest Ay now you charm my Ear with ravishing Musick Honour our Sexes warmest Pride Our whole Devotion Saint Heaven All we kneel and pray to And Madam if those Powers you name have made Beauty the Master-stroak of their Creation I thank their Generous Moulding Hands These Eyes Are not their poorest stamp And to do Justice To Heavens unfinisht Peice I shall take care In the bright sphear to which my charms have rais'd me Not to unmake but mend the work of Gods Claris The Sphear thy Charms have rais'd thee to No thou Gay gilded Vanity call 'em thy Sorceryes The ' infatuating false deluding Fires Of Sin plumed up with Power thou vile Usurper Celest Usurper That diminitive Imp of Majesty That puny poor Prerogative no Madam Your kinder Justice sure can find my Glories A fairer name Claris. A fairer name Celest perhaps The little Murmures Envy and Ignorance Have been too buisy with your Royall Ear And breath'd my Name with their unhallow'd Lips But to correct th' ill manner'd Grin of Fools Let the Kings Heart and these victorious Eyes Tell the vain babling world I raign by Conquest Claris. What do I hear Oh thou amazing Front Of blushless Guilt Thou sit'st enthron'd in Sin then Hold'st thy black seate of shame by Claim and Title And stampst a Royall Soverainty on Damnation Cel. Madam this Language But no more You are too blame mistaken angry Princess For when I shall enform that Peevish Snarler For whom thou playst the Champion what good Offices I 've done her with the King She 'le have but small Occasion of Complaint For I must tell you As my peculiar Grace I have given him Leave T' allow her a fair Court Guards and Attendants And all the Decency that suits her Quality Nay and to shew you I 'm more generous still I have permitted him to pay her the Civilityes of a Wife Claris. Civilityes Celest And let me tell you 'T is not A Common Condescension in a Mrs. To give a Wife that Liberty Claris. Great Gods This is beyond all mortall Patience She gives her Husband Leave 't is she allows her Her Favours all Oh poor Herminia whither art thou fall'n aside Brought thy rich Royall Veins from thy fair India To be a Pensioner to a vile Wanton Raign the Precarious Partner of a Throne But thou rank Weed thou poysonous plant of Death Oh that thou'dst give thy Soul but so much Leisure As even to think Cel. Think I have Thought For Thinking's half
THE Ambitious Slave OR A Generous Revenge A TRAGEDY Acted at the THEATRE ROYAL Written by E. SETTLE Tantane Irae LONDON Printed for A. Roper and E. Wilkinson at the Black-Boy in Fleetstreet 1694. To the Honoured John Bright Esq SIR WHen this Vnfortunate Play implores Your Patronage it is an Humble Addressor to You even for that common English Humanity as the Reception of a persecuted Refugee hunted out of the World and now a Shelterer under Your Hospitable Roof And if Your Good Graces shall vouchsafe it that kind Entertainment I Beseech You to look upon it as a forlorn Brat turned out abroad under the Curse of those Sour Grapes the Faults and Misfortunes of the unhappy Author And really under that Prejudice that lours upon me I may truly say could I pretend to never so great an Interest in the Muses as that I am far from I Plant but at a North-Wall rear that Fruitless Nursery where I am certain to be Chill'd and Blasted So miserable it is to live where not one Beam smiles And indeed a Poet under a hard Name groans beneath a perfect Turkish Subjection where Sentence and Execution are so wholly Arbitrary that the Black Robe and the Bow-string are sent him without Process or Tryal But the happier Favourite Quils Lord What Wonders can they perform Can Write as the Famous Witherington Fought upon their very Stumps For The Lucky have whole Days and those they chuse Th' Unlucky have but Hours and those they lose As a Poetick Oracle tells us Poetry is so much the Creature of Favour that 't is not the Oar but the Stamp that sets the value A Darling Muse shall make Medals of what an Abdicated Scribler shall hardly pass for Counters But to leave this Melancholy Theme the severity of this poor Plays Fortune and change to a cheerfuller Cause 't is now Lodged in the hands of Mercy for 't is Dedicated to Worth and Goodness Titles so properly Your own that to a Natural Candour Sweetness of Temper prideless Familiarity and all that Generous Disposition of Mind that warms where You Favour and charms where You Converse You have the Additional Acquisitions and Improvements of the most Generous Education too as no small Superstructure upon so ample a Foundation You challenge that bountiful Literature a Feather not in every Gentlemans Crest that we may trace Your Rich Fountain up to the Banks of Cham as nurtur'd and cherish'd no less by the Beams of an Alma Mater than Your own smiling Genius Insomuch that so truly accomplisht You are equally furnisht as well for the Courtier as the Country Gentleman And faith Sir now I have named an English Gentleman he that with all the true Qualifications of Gentility lives like Your self above the World Attendance and Dependance the Cowlean Curse far from his Door a plentiful Estate his fair Field Argent and a Bravery of Spirit to enrich that fair Coat may be truly said to be more a Prince than he that fills a Throne whilst free and uncontrould within his own smaller Province of Command he Reigns more Absolute than the prouder Crowned Head in all his Realms and Territories that larger Canton of the Globe who besides his Cares and Fatigues a pain You feel not weilds but a shackled Scepter under a bounded Dominion and limited Sovereignty But whatever ample Theme Your Merit furnishes me I dare not be too bold upon that subject for Panegyricks are only acceptable Guests where there 's Pride and Vanity to welcome and receive them But so extraordinary a Modesty shines in You that instead of attempting the Panegyrist I must rather check the Publication of those fair Truths though never so justly Your due as knowing that You can easier deserve Encomiums than hear them under which silencing Command upon me I can only conclude with subscribing my self Sir Your most Obedient And Most Devoted Servant E. SETTLE PROLOGUE Spoken by Mrs. Knight TO Gain your favourable smile to Day What a hard Task has our Unhappy Play After so Rich a Feast of Wit before Our Courser Fare we fear 's a Treat too Poor Yet let 's Consider half our fears to Ease What Constitutions 'tis we have to please You who when some bright Celia you ave injoy'd How have we seen you Surfeited and Cloy'd With the possession of those fairer Charms Run to some Little Paltry Dowdies Arms Change dear sweet Change There you run on so Fast Siege Battle Storm Cou'd you your feats of War like those of Love perform All so many Young headlong Alexanders You 'd make a Swinging Nursery for Flanders That brisk bold pushing Race Lord what a Dance Wou'd such a set of Heroes make in France Ah Sirs so very Fickle in your Kisses Wou'd you treat Poets as you do your Misses Let Wit and Love your Equal Graces share Our humble Scribler then need ne'er Despair Ah no! A Poet may perhaps once in an Age Have the good fortune your kind hearts t' engage They gain your favours slow but then they last Your kind Embrace they win and hold as fast With us our Sex alone to your disgrace False Men you 're every day for a new Face Your Volatile Mercury is all in Love We are the Mourning Turtles of the Grove You 're those wild Strays and fly so all at Rovers You 're Beaus Wits Courtiers every thing but Lovers Youth Beauty Virtue all will do no good You 're Constant every where but where you shou'd ACTORS Names KIng of Persia Mr. Bowman Tygranes his Brother Mr. Verbruggen Orontes King of Scythia Mr. Powell Briomar his Confident Mr. Freeman Mirvan a Persian Eunuch Mrs. Rogers Amorin a Persian Lord. Mr. Sybars WOMEN Herminia an Indian Princess afterwards Queen of Persia Mrs. Knight Clarismunda the King of Persia's Sister Mrs. Bracegirdle Celestina a Beautiful Scythian of unknown Birth Mrs. Barry Rosalin her Confident Attendants Guards c. Mrs. Leigh SCENE the Frontiers of Persia THE Ambitious Slave OR A Generous Revenge ACT I. SCENE I. Tygranes Herminia and Attendants c. Ty. WELL Madam I have play'd the faithfull Advocate Have woo'd and won the Worlds divinest Beauty And with the glorious Prize return'd Triumumphant I bring her to an envyed Brothers Arms. But Oh the fatall Embassy to crown His Joys I 've Martyrd mine Herm. Unkind Tygranes These too ungratefull sounds I must not hear Tygr. Not hear me Is the Voice of Truth so frightfull Or start your Ears at what your Eyes have done Oh cruell Brother in Fates blackest hour With thy commission'd Love I went th' unhappy Discoverer of that beauteous Coast of Paradice Yes thou Fair Treasury of Heav'n I landed Upon the Golden shore Survey'd that All Celestiall Fair inestimable Brightness And laded back with the whole freighted Mine To plant this Jewell in a Brothers Crown I make him Lord Lord of more Wealth more Bliss Then showring Heav'n e're pour'd on kneeling Man And my poor self the miserablest Wretch That Ruine tumbled or
Despair e're swallowd Herm. Oh generous Prince if all my blushing shame My aking heart and bleeding Soul for Thy Poor suff'ring pains can be prevailing Orators Recall thy banisht Peace Tygr. My Peace Herm. Thy Peace Let my imploring Pity beg it of thee Be thy great self and let surmounting Reason Put out this hopeless Fire Droop not but wait A fairer Fate The Guardian Gods of Virtue Bid thee look up and hope those great Rewarders Of ever cherisht Honour have no doubt Reserv'd some worthyer Beauty for thy Arms. Tygr. A second Wound where those bright Eyes have kill'd No fair Destroyer do not flatter Death Herm. Cruell Tygranes cease this fatal Language I sicken at the sound Commanding Honour Has seald my Ears and I dare hear no more Tygr. Commanding Honour then shall be obey'd And you shall hear no more Yes fair Commissioner of Fate thou dear All Angel Forme I will repine no more Since I was born to wear thee to my Grave I but perform the Work of my Creation And 't is my Glory to fulfill my Destiny Trumpets But hark the King Now Madam Love and Empire Come suppliant to your Feet Cyrus proud Heir And fair Herminia's prouder slave comes blest With all the Joys of a possessing Lover To circle that fair Brow with Persia's Diadem Enter King attended King Welcome fair Star descending Brightness welcome But oh Thus kneeling let me meet the mighty Bliss Kneel Is that all For every common Blessing We pay that Gratitude But when Heav'n gives Heav'n The blest Receiver with his bending Homage And prostrate Soul makes but too poor Acknowledgment Tygr. Oh King we Two divide the Stars thine All aside The smiling all the blasting Planets mine King But whilst my Ravisht Soul at these dear feet All buisy in the Count of thousand Vows My Souls long hoarded sum to Soverain Love Their mighty Tribute pay endebted Honor Demands some payment too My dear Tygranes Thou Champion of my Love thou ushering Phosphor To all my rising Bliss my more then Brother Friend All oh let these gratefull Arms receive thee Embraces But ha what do I see methinks I view A Cloud hang on thy Brow Tygr. A Cloud my King Would be a Blessing here Indeed I want one For I have stood too near too near that Sun From the bright Beams of whose too fatal Fires Oh for a Cloud dark as my Grave to shrowd me King How my Tygranes Have Herminia's Eyes Brought me a Rivall home Tygr. A Rivall No. Rivall's a Title for Aspiring Gazers Beauties bolder Homagers Where kindled Hope and warm Ambition burn A Name too towring for the lost Tygranes King In this surprizing Language Tygr. I have profan'd Your Royall Ear but the offending Criminall Pardon his First Last Fault shall Sin no more Here take this dazling Beauty to your Arms Take her adorn'd with all Loves thousand Charms Myriads of Blisses star your happy Nights Thick as the Galaxy and Angel Quires Salute your smiling Days Herm. Virtue like Thine aside Tygr. And now if my small Services deserve it And this young Arm may be that bold Petitioner Grant me the Glory in your Royall Cause Against your Honours and your Kingdoms Foes To wield a Sword Yes send me to the Wars The walks of Death and Scenes of Desolation Far far from Courts that I may live remov'd From those destroying Eyes For oh my King I would not stay within that dangerous Air Where the least Rebell Murmur may but rise To envy your fair Bliss King I am all Confusion Tygr. So dear so sacred your Divine Felicity I wou'd not blot my Soul but with a Thought My King can be too blest Herm. Oh Prince Thy generous Goodness loads me with that shame As fires my glowing Cheeks But if thy heart Thy poor lost Heart has play'd th' unhappy Fugitive Into that barren Starving Feild of Love By all my Hopes I 'le drop a tear to Heav'n To call the wanderer home Tygr. A Tear Herm. A Tear Tygranes Shed from that melting pity till the Gods Soften'd to Mercy a kind Ear encline And grant thee peace or else deny me mine King Thou Miracle of Truth and Life of Honour There 's something in this moving Tale of pity Breaths with so sweet an Accent that if ought Less then resigning the Divine Herminia Cou'd bless thy soft Desires my bounding Soul Shou'd leap all Bars to crown thy tenderest Wishes Tygr. This is too kind King But since a Sword a Sword Is all the Boon thy modest Prayers can ask And Love can give no more Thou shalt have thy Desire Yes my Tygranes I have a Cause that wants an Arm like Thine For in thy Absence I have lost a Battle Persia's proud Foe th' insulting Scythian Tyrant Wears my lost Honour on his conquering Sword Nor is this all I have lost a Sister too Tygr. And with that Sister Sir the noblest Martyr Tyrannick Sword e're butcher'd poor Orsanes That Royall Syrian our unhappy Friend By Wars rough chance the barbarous Scythian's Prisoner By his inhumane Rivall Jaylors Rage In his cold bloud sent t' his untimely Grave My Dear wrong'd Sister thou too wretched Mourner The Lord of all thy Vows that bloudy sacrifice So loud thy Ruines and so deep thy Wounds That bleeding Persia groans for thy Revenge Thine Thine's a Cause King Reserv'd for brave Tygranes For Thee young Worthy thy Illustrious Arme Shâ—ll lead my fighting Legions to the Field Wash thou the Persian Stains and Scourge that Tyrant Whilst Clarismunda's Wrongs edge thy keen steel With mine and Heav'ns Commission'd Vengeance strike Tygr. Ye Gods I ask no more King Yes go my Souldier Go where Fame calls But thus far far from Courts Whilst to rough Wars a Rivall I remove Think how I send thee to a Lawrell Grove To plume in Honour whilst I blush in Love Exeunt SCENE changes to a Pavilion Enter Briomer meeting Celestina and Rosalin Briom Good morrow my Sweet enemy the Smiles Of a kind Morn gay as your Eyes Salute You. I come my pretty one t' inquire the Health Of that bright Excellence the fair Clarismunda Say is your Princess waking Celest Is she sleeping Had been a properer Question to her Miseries Briom Then Madam in my Royall Masters name Sycthia's proud Monarch but her humblest Suppliant Celest Her Tyrant thou woud'st say be honest fawning Parasite And give thy proud Barbarian Lord his Titles Briom Her Tyrant then if that hard Name befits Her humble Kneeling Slave Celest Hard name Can there Be names too hard for brave Orsanes Murderer What though that Royall Beauty and her dear Illustrious Lover by th' unhappy Fortune Of a lost Battle wore the Tyrants Chains Could his too Barbarous Rage descend to that Low-Spirited Murder to remove a Rivall By such a shamefull Blow unparalled Infamy Brim 'T is true I own wild Rage and wilder Love Have play'd the Savage But t' atone his Crime Has not the sense of his Detested shame Touch'd his Relenting
thee still But oh so love thee Love thy bright Glory thy unenvyed Happiness Thy Monarchs Arms and all thy Nuptiall Blisses My whole unmurmuring Souls divinest Musick Enter Messenger Mess Sir some Officers wait your Command Enter Officers Tygr. Admit e'm Well my Warriours How fare my valiant Hearts Offi. Tough as our Arms And cheerfull as our Cause Tygr. Thou speakst my Souldier 1. Offi. As all our Veins and all our Lives shall speak 2. Offi. Already Sir Your great Allies have joyn'd us A noble Train of War From Western Nile To Eastern Indus Streams united Asia Brings her proud Banners to your Royall Standard By this good Sword and this old Arm I think More gallant Troops nor more resolv'd Battalions A fairer Front of the bold Sons of Glory Ne'er shook the Earth beneath them 1. Offi. And great Sir May I presume to add one bold Word more To cheer our Hearts after our last lost Battle And edg our Swords for a new fairer Game Persia fought then but Clarismunda now Tygr. Yes my kind Souldier in your last lost Game A weaker Quarrell and a fainter Arm Only Powers wanton Luxury Ambition Fought then But a Diviner Cause wrong'd Honour And Sacred Vengeance now Enter King and Herminia Mirvan Amorin Guards c. King My best Tygranes Life of my Cause thou Eldest Son of War And boldest Heir of Fame my waiting Armyes Call thy Commanding Arm to lead 'em forth to Glory Tygr. As far as humane Strength can push for Glory This Arm shall lead and Sir to joyn that Arm I hope the Great Deciding Powers that hold The Fate of War and turn the Scales of Battle Have one kind Lawrell for the poor Tygranes For 't is but Justice Heav'n one Smiling Day For all the melancholly niggard Portion Your unkind Stars have dealt me And for all The Massy Favours you have heap'd upon me Great Sir permit my bending Duty fall Thus low to take up the fair Load of Honour King Rise my Tygranes This too humble Gratitude Orepays the Gift I make Tygr. Orepays No! Sir You 've lodg'd in this Young Arm a Trust so glorious King And thou'lt discharge it with a Faith more glorious Tygr. I hope indeed I shall This I dare promise I go so keâ—n for War so arm'd for Battle My Cause so Precious and my Life so worthless That the Great Game of Death was never play'd By a less shaking Hand King So speak the Souls Of our Great Race the transmigrating Fires That warm thy noble Breast Tygr. But Sir before I go take my Last Prayer May all the Sweets of ever fragrant Love Heap your full Joâ—s 'Twixt that fair Heaven and You Eternall Jo Peans sing before you Smiles wake Your Morns and Angells lull your Sleeps King This is too kind Tygranes Tygr. And when in my Rough Toyls and heavyer Marches Amidst the Shriller Louder Voice of War Some softer Trump of Fame shall sweetly Chant In my pleass'd Ears how fair Herminia loves How that all Nuptiall Truth all Bridall Sweetness With all the Riot o unmeasur'd blisses Crowns the dear Love of her embracing Lord When I shall hear that dear that blessed Sound With open Arms I 'le meet the darling Joy And clasp it as the Mrs. of my Soul Thus I may love Herminia Herm. Love me Prince Yes such a Love Tygranes Oh thou matchless Originall of Virtue Love like Thine How shall I e're return Go then brave Warriour Go where bright Honour calls and when thy Sword Thro grappling Dangers hews thy path to Glory Be thou Herminia's Champion and I Thine For oh Tygranes to adorn that brow And pull down Victory on that blest Head I 'le borrow from the Arms of my kind Lord A bending Knee to Heâ—v'n for dear Tygranes Tygr. And will the kind Herminia do all this For lost Tygranes the Divine Herminia A Beauteous Suppliant to th' immortall Throne Breath a soft Prayer and melt the listning Gods And all for worthless me Then I am orepay'd For all my bleeding sighs So blest Herm. So blest if she can give thee blessings all my Orisons My tendrest Vows for Thy Success I 'le pay With so much Zeal the pious offering giv'n Whilst thou shalt combat Earth I 'le wrestle Heav'n King Hold my Herminia thou too Godlike Goodness And take me with thee in this generous Contest A Prayer for dear Tygranes Prayers and Hecatombs Incense and Sacrifice all Pomp Divine Altars shall smoak and blazing Temples Shine United Heaven and Earth shall joyn for Thee Thou and the World brave Youth the Gods and we Enter Messenger Mess Your Royall Sister Conducted by ten-thousand Scythian Horse Sent by the Mercy of her pitying Conquerour Free and unransom'd is returning home King Free and unransom'd Yes relenting Tyrant Like flowry Garlands to a bleeding Victim A poor amends for Clarismunda's Wrongs Tygr. For the Reception of our Royall Sister Haste Orimon draw forth a thousand Horse That these embracing Arms may fly to meet her Exit King My dear Herminia the soft sweets of Love Till this blest Minute have been all my Theme But now my fairest I am forc'd to borrow From the kind Arms of Joy one hour for pity I have a mourning Sister A wrong'd one my Herminia whose Returne Must call one Tear even from the Eyes of Love Queen A Tear for Clarismunda Yes my dear Lov'd Lord if that wrong'd Sister does demand The Royall Tribute of those richer Pearle I hope you 'll give these Eyes the Leave to add Their pious Offring too King Thine my Herminia Queen Mine and all Eyes At bleeding Virtues Sufferings Our Griefs are but our Sympathetick pains Each melting Eye at that sad Object mourns The Loadstar draws and trembling Pity turns Enter Tygranes Leading Clarismunda Celestina Rosalin c. Clars My Brother and my King Take to thy Arms thy generous pitying Arms This Load of Misery Despair and Ruin King Fair Flower of Paradice the sweetest Rose Set in the Thorns of Life dear Royall Mourner My Souls best half my own immortall Veins Clar. Thy Veins No Sir that once fair Christall Fountain By the embitter'd Gall of Woes all poyson'd The King gazes on Celestina My blood runs Death and I am thy Veins no more King What do I see Great Gods Clar. But oh dread Sir In my affrighting Wounds my Savage Wrongs I have brought home King Those Eyes my Clarismunda Clar. Eyes Sir King Those Wrongs my Sister But proceed Clar. Those Wrongs indeed So wrong'd There 's not that ministring Saint at Heavens high Throne But midst his Scenes of everlasting Joys Looks down on Clarismunda's hideous Ruines Mine mine 's a Cause King By Heavens amazing Fair Clar. What says my King King Thy Cause my Sweet go on Clar. Yes my dear Brother and what 's more then Brother My Champion and my King By those great Names I call and challenge thy avenging Sword Thy Sword my Soverain Justice King Artaban withdrawing from Clarismunda and whispering Clarismunda strikes
to answer Your Innocent meaning with an Equall Innocence That downright Truth your Bounty merits from me How can I love the Court who hate the World Cel. Thou hate it What have Thy young Years to quarrell at That thou should'st hate the World Mirv. I had a Father in 't And for his sake I hate it Cel. For his sake Mirv. A poor meanspirited Slave that got me Man And for a wretched Bribe of the Court Gold Unmade the Thing he got me For which I owe him My honest hearty Curses in his Grave And for his sake hate the whole loath'd Creation Cel. How Mirvan if thou hate'st the whole Creation Thou must hate me and 't is not safe to talk with thee Mirv. Nay Madam and beleive I Scorn to flatter Of all the hated World I love you best Because I fancy all those Charms were given you To do a little Mischeif in the World That darling Mistress of Eyes dear Mischief Cel. Hate the whole world beside and I alone The favourite Nay this is kind indeed But may I trust that Kindness Mir. Trust me Madam Now by those Eyes I swear those brigâ—t Incendiaryes What is 't I dare not do to serve that fair Destruction Play the proud Juno and command me Labours Like a young Hercules and if I shrink or tire Say I 've a Soul as abject and as base As the poor frame the Imp of man that holds it Cel. This is so generous Mirv. Trust me say you Nay I will trust you First and with a secret Of that prodigious weight Cel. The rarest Tool Mirv. Know then the Queen the more then Widow'd Queen Too sad a Mourner at your fatall Triumph In pure Despair for her deserting Lord Resolves this very night Cel. Oh my big Hopes aside Mir. In a disguise to leave the Court and Kingdom And bury all her Sorrows in a Cloyster Cel. To my best wish aside Mir. For this Religious Voyage Who should she choose her Pilot but my self Her singular Trust of my confiding Truth Has pickt out Me her only leading Guide T' her Melancholy Cell Peruse this Letter Committed to my Care to leave behind her As her last farewell to her unkind Lord. Cel. Reads Letter That I have lov'd you even to a Superstition planted my very Heav'n in Love the Transports of my Despair too plainly testify But when my feeble fraylty can bear my Wrongs no longer pardon the Effects of what Your Vnkindness is but the too fatal Cause when I thus fly from so much Inhumanity to the Arms of a kinder Heaven Herminia Mir. Now Madam as you like it make your best on 't Cel. Oh Mirvan now I must beleive thou lovest me This is so kind a Trust Thou toldst me too That thou lov'dst Mischief Mir. Faith won'd You durst try How much I love it Cel. Sayst thou so my Boy Nay then darst thou be kind and let me in A Party to this Plot a kind Assistant To hand this Mourning Wanderer to her Cell Say darst thou let me choose her Cloyster for her Mir. With all my Soul If any Noble Spight Glow warm within your Breast set it a blazing At that sweet Game form your own dearest Wish And mould Your slave to serve you Cel. To my Arms Thou kindest little Engine serve me but As the Rewards I 'le pay thee shall deserve And melt me into Gold Mir. Alas dear Madam There needs not a Reward to buy my Faith Be but your Great Designs what I can wish 'em Without the needless Bribe of Gold or Treasure I wou'd give Wealth to purchase such a pleasure Exeunt Scene Changes Enter Orontes disguis'd Oron. From Scythia's Throne and my proud Armies Head From softer Majesty and rougher Wars All glittering Plumes all my once bright Regalia Stript to this narrow Shrowd to wrap my Woes And bring my Death to Clarismunda's Feet Oh Love How unaccountable's thy Power Enter Clarismunda attended Clar. From that loath'd Name Oront From that loath'd Name Orontes To that lov'd Heaven his cruel Clarismunda He has commanded these Commission'd Knees To beg one listning Minute Clar. Your Petition Is an Ungrateful Theme Yet I am not So deaf to my worst Foe but my kind Patience Shall lend the Ear thou ask'st Oront Thus then by me That Sentenc'd Criminal speaks If by that fairest Hand Death shakes his Glass and waves his Brandish'd Shaft If executing Destiny 's gone forth And meager Graves with all their hungry Yawn Wait their last Gorge of poor Orontes Blood To his ador'd destroying Angels Ear Thus breath his Dying Accents Oh Bright Madam If Tears that would melt Rocks if Groans enough To wake the Sleep of Tombs if tortur'd Conscience Above the very Pangs of lost Eternity And to all these a Penitence so true Enough to unlock Heaven If these all these Might beg his Life from Cruel Clarismunda Clar. Could all these beg his Life Oront And with that Life His Clarismunda's Love Clar. My Love Oront Thy Love Dear all Divine For without Love 't is Death still Oh could that dear forgiving Mercy take A pardon'd Penitent to those dear Arms Not Ransom'd Slavery not Life Reprieved Not Crown'd Ambition nor translated Martyr Half half so bless'd as he To those fair Eyes He 'd raise those Monuments of mighty Love Should out-live Worlds and finishing Time close up His last Recorded Volume with the Story How bless'd Orontes loved Clar. Mistaken Advocate To have tryed the Eloquence of those soft Sounds They should have spoke before Orsanes Death Oront And does that Louring Vision wake for ever The lost Orontes Crime so all impardonable Clar. So impardonable that To leave the World with my loud wrongs unrighted When I shall meet my great Forefathers Souls 'T would make me blush in Heaven Oront Too Cruel Fair Clar. Sir I must hear no more Go bear your Master This Answer as my fix'd Eternal Vow I will have my Revenge But tell him too So much I owe to his Repenting Tears That when my Arming Wrongs that hunted Blood Shall spill I 'll give the Executing Blow Calm as the Priestess at an Altar Kills Yet still must Kill Oront But can that Beauteous Priestess Accept no gentler Sacrifice no less Appeasing Victim than the poor Orontes All streaming Blood And is one Thought of Mercy That strange Impossible Clar. So much Impossible Perhaps beyond the Grave I may forgive him On this side Death I must not Oront Then dear Cruelty Discovers himself Take take my thirsted Blood Clar. Good Gods Orontes Oh King How poorly thou hast thy self undone Hast put thy wretched Life into my Power And I must tamely take it Hadst thou met My Nobler Vengeance in thy Armies head Thrust thy bold Breast against ten thousand Javelins Thou might'st have fall'n with Honour Honour King But now now I must take this poor Advantage Thou kill'st Orsanes poorly Forget thou art a King Uncrown'd Unthroned Led like a Vulgar Slave bound in Vile Chains And at the
Tomb of the great Cyrus there There through thy humble naked yielding Throat Hew out my Vengeance carve thy bleeding Heart A Sacrifice to Clarismunda's wrongs My Guards my Slaves there Enter Attendants Guards 1 Attend. Madam Your Commands Clar. If your lost Honour and your bleeding Country An injur'd Monarch and a Kingdoms shame Can rouze your Swords Oront Strike strike 'em through this Breast Yes generous Persians behold before ye The black Orontes Scythias Tyrant Lord Stain'd in the Blood of Thousand Thousand Persians And the deplored Orsanes barbarous Murderer But bear me to the Tomb of your great Cyrus There hew your Vengeance carve my bleeding Heart A Sacrifice to Clarismundas Wrongs Clar. So pleas'd with Fate Then thou' rt in love with Death Oront So much in Love that on my Knees I 'll meet it I wear a Load of useless Life about me And thou' rt so kind to ease me of my Burthen Now Gentlemen perform your Royal Charge Bear me to Death to Death with the Vile Monster Loaded with Chains led forth a publick Spectacle To pointing Infamy and hissing Scorn For that fair Doom will have it so Clar. Will have it so Orant Quick quick ye tedious Slaves Can she speak Death and you want Wings to execute Let not Crown'd-Head nor King those titular Sounds Tye up your Hands those forfeit Names my Crimes And this wrong'd Fair But bear me to my Death to Scaffolds Gibbets Stript to a Naked Dungeon Malefactor Tread my crush'd Soul Clar. Stand off ye Impious Villains A Monarch's Blood and shed by Hangmens hands Oh whither was my Fleeting Glory going His bending Neck like a tame bleating Sacrifice A stroke beneath my Scorn But haste Arsaces Raise all my Persian Guards and in their Head Go bear him back back to his moving Armies Safe to his headed Legions There Orontes At the Proud Front of all thy Royal Squadrons With Groves of Spears and walling Shields around thee Rich in thy Crested Plumes and Glittering Steel Worthy the Persian Swords and Clarismundas Vengeance Strike then my Arm of Fate Oront Oh wondrous Honour Even in amazing Cruelty Clar. Yes Scythian Though all the Persian Bolts Are levell'd at that Heart thy Blood Orontes My whole rich Game of Death yet not to snare My hunted Lyon in Ignoble Toils No King Return return thy Crown thy Arms And Royal Standard want thy leading Sword Oront So brave a Foe Clar. Reserve thy Sword thy Answer Arm'd at the head of slaughter'd Fields there Scythian Fall thy great self Die warm my Royal Enemy To morrows hotter Veins my Vengeance pay Thy Blood Orontes is too cold to Day Exit Oront Die warm Yes Generous Foe thy envy'd Glory Shall light my Fire Despair to Fury turn In my last Flash my brightest Blaze shall burn Through Blood and Death move on ' gainst all thy odds Thy Wrongs the Arming World and battailing Gods For by those Eyes a Sacrifice decreed 'T is just I should a glorious Victim bleed Exit Scene Changes Enter Celestina and Rosalin Cel. The Bolt is shot and now a Crown stand fair aside Ros Madam I 'm all Amazement at the News Cel. Amaz'd at what To hear a mad young wife Has took a Midnight's Ramble Ros But the Queen Oh Madam Certainly some strange Despair Has caused this Secret Flight perhaps to seek Some solitary Grot to Sigh and Die Cel. To Sigh and Die Poor innocent Simplicity What if she 's stoln to some retiring Solitude To meet a private Lover Ros How a Lover Cel. Mark the Truth I tell thee That very thing a Lover Ros 'T is impossible Such Tears and so much Nuptial Faith Cel. Why All That 's nothing Womans Truth like Womans Beauty Is not a thing Immortal Ros But dear Madam Herminias rigid Principles of Honour And her fond Sighs even for her Faithless Lord Admit a Lawless Love Cel. Though it be Lawless Is it not Love still Fool Enter King King Dear Sovereign of my Soul Asia's fair Pride and Persia's more than Conqueror Thou all amazing Brightness to my Bosom Cel. Oh Prince Encircled in these Arms methinks The Transport of my Joys bears my wing'd soul so high Till I look down on Under-Worlds beneath me King Look down indeed thou dear Triumphant Fair Whilst those poor Under-Worlds all blushing own Their whole Creation cannot match these Eyes Cel. Nay now you flatter King By those sweets I cannot For thine are Charms above the reach of Flattery But Madam t' add one Trophy to your Eyes The poor Resenting Queen wouldst thou believe it Is this Night fled from Court Cel. Alas poor pittied Sweetness King Prithee be kind and Read this murmuring Scrole A Farewel Letter she has left behind her Celest Reads That I have Loved you to a Superstition planted my very Heaven in Love Your Vnkindness is the too Fatal Cause when I thus fly to the Arms of a kinder Heaven Herminia King That she is gone and th' angry Cause that drives her Her Letter speaks too plain But whither gone That she has wrap'd in Mystery I suppose I must be kept in Darkness from that Secret Gel. Darkness and Mystery Why is there any thing In this plain easie naked honest Letter Writ in that Cypher that it wants a Key to 't King Why Canst thou Read her meaning Cel. Fie my Lord Can you not Read it Why this idle Question You will not Read it Sir And 't is so generous I love you for this goodness King Will not Read it Cel. Ay will not must not And 't is Noble in you A little innocent Ignorance is sometimes A Manly Virtue worthy even a King King Madam This is all Riddle Cel. Riddle Nay Sir as if you did not know Where and to whose Embracing Arms she 's gone King Arms and Embraces Cel. Ah poor Lady We little guess the pains of slighted Love But her Despair has took the wisest remedy Her Griefs found a very gentle Cure Nay she 's so kind to make it her Confession And you 're more kind to wink at little Frailties King Still you talk in Clouds Has she made you the Confident of her Flight Or is there ought coucht in that mystick Scrole My shallow Reason has not depth to fathom If so 't were kind you would instruct my weakness Cel. Nay if you 'll force me then to play th'Interpreter T' explain a Ladies blushing weakness Mark Sir She tells you first she lov'd t' a Superstition Planted her very Heav'n in your embraces And when that slighting unkind Heav'n forsakes her Tells you as honestly to supply your room She 'as chose the Arms of a much kinder Heav'n And pray what Heav'n what Arms but kind Tygranes King My Brother ha Cel. You know he 's gone to th' Camp And she 's as kindly gone to meet him there King God's 't is impossible Cel. Nay to convince you 'T is now stale news even Boys and Varlets talk it King Confusion Cel. The young Mirvan Sir's my Oracle
in my Wounds and their own scourge has punisht 'em Oront If their own scourge has punish'd 'em and all The pouring Vials of immortal Wrath Have fill'd the whole embitter'd Draught of Woe May I have leave to ask that beauteous Judge Is her avenging Sword of Fate yet satisfied Clar. Satisfied Oront That Sword thou dear Divine Destroyer After such streams of Blood and piles of Graves Is the keen Death the reeking Point still drawn At poor Orontes Heart Clar. Indeed thou askst that Question Oront I would have thy Mercy answer Say thou All-Angel Sweet if angry Heaven Has emptied all its Quivers on this Head Has Clarismunda still new Bolts to Kill Clar. New Bolts No wretched King those righteous Pow'rs Have made my Wrongs that ample satisfaction I now can ask no more Oront If those kind Pow'rs Have paid thee all the whole indebted Summ May I presume to ask that fair Offended If a poor punisht Criminal his stains Wash'd with the Bloud of thousand thousand Lives From tott'ring Pow'r and falling Empire lost From all the glitt'ring Wreaths of Royal Honours Crusht to base Chains a vile inglorious Slave Say is this little Out-cast of the World Still that strange hateful Monster Clar. No Orontes Thou' rt faln so low I must not hate thee now Oront What says that Breath of Life Claris Must hate no more No suff'ring Wretch thou hast met thy Crimes Reward And Justice when her executing Aim Has struck the Blow turns her yeil'd Eyes away And sees the Guilt no more On thy proud Throne And tow'ring at thy prouder Armies head When Death met Death and Thunder grapled Thunder Orontes then in all thy circling Glories The Tyrant Lord of Pow'r was worth my Frown I could look up and hate thee down I must not Oront Then farewell Empire Thrones Dominion all The plagues of Pow'r and curse of Crowns farewel And my dear Chains and Glorious Misery Welcome For now she hates no more Chant that blest Sound Ye great Angelick Quires immortal Sweets Perfume the hallow'd Breath and bear it round The ecchoing Skies and all the list'ning Globe That Clarismunda now can hate no more My Chains my Fetters No thou Dear all Heav'n My Bracelets strings of Pearl and links of Gold But thou all Sacred Sweetness cou'd that kind Unclouding Brow to all this infinite Goodness Add one rich Blessing more cou'dst thou love too Clar. Love Love Oront Yes Love thou All-descending Goodness Turn not those beauteous Eyes away Oh Arm Those pointed Deaths no more I am no longer The black Orontes now 't was Seythia's Tyrant Pride and Ambition's Purple Devil all The burning Hells of Power that sinn'd against thee But I am now no more No thy kind Brother Like the Great Jove has crusht the tumbling Giant Script all my guilty Greatness to a little Poor naked Slave an humble crawling Wretch The Scepter'd Savage and Imperial Monster Those hideous Names all banisht from the World And I am nothing now but kneeling Love And if that pardoning Mercy Clar. Oh Orontes Thy Tears thy Penitence and to Crown all Thy murmuring Love pleads with that courting Eloquence But ha What says my Heart Oront Oh speak thou dearest Oracle of Life Breathe the Celestial Sound Methinks I saw The pitying God in those relenting Eyes Just issuing down with all his glitt'ring Mercy But those seal'd Lips shut up the lovely Paradise And cruelty hold back the kind descending Heav'n Clar. Well Prince if I must speak But oh forgive My blushing weakness when these Eyes must tell thee That thou hast conquer'd thou hast conquer'd King My tenderest melting Souls all softest Pity Oront And cou'd that softest Pity Claris Aske no more For beyond Pity 't is all vast Eternity The All my utmost Life can ever give thee Oront The All. Claris Alas my Love 's beyond my Pow'r But I have given too much Hence from my Sight For from this Hour I ne'r must see thee more Oront No more Claris Retire without Reply lest my reviving Wrongs Recall my prodigal blushing Mercy back Yes Fly to some far corner of the Earth Whilst I have pow'r to give thy pitied Sufferings This last kind Tribute from my melting Eyes Go and bear with thee round the wander'd World A Sigh from Clarismunda Oront 'T is enough That Sigh that Pity all Eternal Bliss And Gods I ask no more But Madam when I fly from those dear Eyes The wander'd World will be too short a Walk No Clarismunda Love's last Race must run Beyond the narrow Travels of the Sun Far above Worlds and Days dull mortal Light Thus he takes Wing and thus sets out his Flight Stabs hiwself Clar. By thy own Hand thy Hearts last pouring Flood Oh King so kind a Stream this rich atoning Sacrifice Has wash'd thee all so White and touch'd my Soul so near That I must whisper in thy dying Ear Had I a Heart to give 't were all thy own Oront Oh Divine Harmony Now I am blest Clar. Oh generous Prince thou fill'st my painting Veins With all that tender'st warmth But hast oh haste Mount the bright Stars and bear this Message with thee When thou shalt meet thy own great Martyr there Tell him thou hast left His Clarismunda a Divided Heart Thine all my Pity all my Love Orsanes Oront Yes Madam I 'll obey your blest Commands Speed speed my Posting Soul and when we meet Orsanes I 'll Rival thee in Heaven But oh how much are all My Sighs o'erpaid to die in these blest Arms How worthless is dull Life when Death 's all Charms Dies Clar. Now all the work I had on Earth is done My Dear Orsanes that long waiting Bridegroom Holds an immortal Chaplet for my Brow Shut from the World then to a Cell I 'll fly There my dear Winding-sheets my Robe of Glory Sweet Death's kind call with bending Knees I 'll stay The Trump to my great Coronation-Day Exit Scene Changes Enter Celestina and Rosalin Ros What can this mean Not Lunacy more wild Her wander'd Reason and distracted Senses Stung with that strange Tarantula Cel. Hush Mirvan Not a word Should Boys tell Tales Not for a thousand Worlds I 'll have the Secret Shut in a Marble Chest lock'd up in Graves Deep as the Center of the groaning World That not one angry murmuring God shall hear it But ha we are betray'd betray'd dear Mirvan See there that grinning Tarquin in the Hangings Looks with a listning Face and yonder Parrot Oh 't is a prating Bird The Air will breath it Winds whistle it Ravens croke it Ros Dear Madam Cel. Rosalin Ha art thou here Ros Yes Madam a poor Mourner Cel. Oh fie in Tears and on my Wedding day This is unkind Ay Girl I am to be Married Dost thou not see the Courting kneeling King Oh 't is the fondest fool to make a Husband That kind believing thing See he presents me A Bracelet strung with bleeding Lovers Hearts And every Pearl a Tear of dying