't were in agen Antiques and strange mishapes such as the Porter to my Soule mine Eye was ne're acquainted with Fancie lets in like a distracted multitude by some strange accident piec'd together feare now afresh comes on and charges Love to home Hee comes hee comes woman if thou would'st be the Subject of mans wonder not his scorne hereafter now shew thy selfe Enter Prince rising from the vault shee stabs him two or three times hee falls shee s goes back to her chamber Sudden and fortunate My better Angell sure did both infuse a strength and did direct it Enter Ziriff ZIR. Aglaura AGL Brother ZIR. The same So slow to let in such a long'd for Guest must Joy stand knocking Sister come prepare prepare The King of Persia's comming to you strait the King marke that AGL I thought how poore the Joyes you brought with you were in respect of those that were with mee Joyes are our hopes stript of their feares and such are mine for know deare Brother the King is come already and is gone marke that ZIR. Is this instinct or riddle what King how gone AGL The Cave will tell you more ZIR. Some sad mistake thou hast undone us all Goes out enters â—…stily againe The Prince the Prince cold as the bed of earth hee lies upon as senslesse too death hangs upon his lips like an untimely frost upon an early Cherrie the noble Guest his Soule tooke it so ill that you should use his old Acquaintance so that neither pray'rs nor teares can e're perswade him back againe Aglaura swounes rubs her hold hold wee cannot sure part thus Sister Aglaura Thersames is not dead It is the Prince that calls AGL The Prince where Tell mee or I will strait goeback againe into those groves of Gessemine thou took'st mee from and finde him out or lose my selfe for ever ZIR. For ever I there 's it for in those groves thou talk'st of there are so many by-wayes and odd turnings leading unto such wild and dismall places that should weegoe without a guide or stir before Heav'n calls 't is strongly to be feared wee there should wander up and downe for ever and be benighted to eternitie AGL Benighted to eternitie What 's that ZIR. Why 't is to be benighted to eternitie to sit i' th' darke and doe I know not what unriddle at our owne sad cost and charge the doubts the learned here doe onely move AGL What place have murtherers brother there for sure the murtherer of the Prince must have a punishment that Heaven is yet to make ZIR. How is religion fool'd betwixt our loves and feares poore Girle for ought that thou hast done thy Chaplets may be faire and flourishing as his in the Elysium AGL Doe you thinke so ZIR. Yes I doe thinke so The juster Judges of our Actions would they have beene severe upon our weaknesses would sure have made us stronger Fie those teares a Bride upon the marriage day as properly might shed as thou here widowes doo 't and marrie next day after To such a funerall as this there should be nothing common Wee 'll mourne him so that those that are alive shall thinke themselves more buried sar than hee and wish to have his grave to finde his Obsequies but stay the Body Brings up the bodie shee swounes and dies Agen Sister Aglaura ô speake once more once more looke out faire Soule Shee 's gone Irrevocably gone And winging now the Aire like a glad bird broken from some cage poore Bankrupt heart when ' thad not wherewithall to pay to sad disaster all that was its due it broke would mine would doe so too My soule is now within mee like a well metled Hauke on a blinde Faulk'ners fist mee thinks I feele it baiting to be gone and yet I have a little foolish businesse here on earth I will dispatch Exit Enter Pasithas with the body of Ariaspes PAS Let mee bee like my burthen here if I had not as lieve kill two of the Bloud-royall for him as carrie one of them These Gentlemen of high actions are three times as heavie after death as your private retir'd ones looke if hee be not reduc'd to the state of a Courtier of the second forme now and cannot stand upon his owne legs nor doe any thing without help Hum. And what 's become of the great Prince in prison as they call it now the toy within us that makes us talke and laugh and fight I why there 's it well let him be what hee will and where hee will I le make bold with the old Tenement here Come Sir come along Exit Enter Ziriff ZIR. All 's fast too here They sleepe to night i' their winding sheets I thinke there 's such a generall quiet Oh! here 's light I warrant for lust does take as little rest as care or age Courting her glasse I sweare fie that 's a flatterer Madam in mee you shall see trulier what you are Knocks Enter the Queene ORB What make you up at this strange houre my Lord ZIR. My businesse is my boldnesse warrant Madam and I could well afford t' have beene without it now had Heav'n so pleas'd ORB 'T is a sad Prologue what followes in the name of vertue ZIR. The King ORB I what of him is well is hee not ZIR. Yes If to be free from the great load wee sweat and labour under here on earth be to be well hee is ORB Why hee 's not dead is hee ZIR. Yes Madam slaine and the Prince too ORB How where ZIR. I know not but dead they are ORB Dead ZIR. Yes Madam ORB Didst see them dead ZIR. As I see you alive ORB Dead ZIR. Yes dead ORB Well wee must all die the Sisters spin no cables for us mortalls th' are thred and Time and chance trust mee I could weep now but watrie distillations doe but ill on graves they make the lodging colder Shee knocks ZIR. What would you Madam ORB Why my friends my Lord I would consult and know what 's to be done ZIR. Madam 't is not so safe to raise the Court things thus unsetled if you please to have ORB Where 's Ariaspes ZIR. In 's dead sleepe by this time I 'm sure ORB I know hee is not find him instantly ZIR. I 'm gone Turnes back againe But Madam why make you choyce of him from whom if the succession meet disturbance all must come of danger ORB My Lord I am not yet so wise as to be jealous pray dispute no further ZIR. Pardon mee Madam if before I goe I must vnlock a secret unto you such a one as while the King did breathe durst know no aire Zorannes lives ORB Ha! ZIR. And in the hope of such a day as this has lingred out a life snatching to feed his almost famish'd eyes sights now and then of you in a disguise ORB Strange this night is big with miracle ZIR. If you did love him as they say you did and doe so still 't is now within
your power ORB I would it were my Lord but I am now no private woman if I did love him once and 't is so long agoe I have forgot my youth and ignorance may well excuse't ZIR. Excuse it ORB Yes excuse it Sir ZIR. Though I confesse I lov'd his father much and pitie him yet having offer'd it unto your thoughts I have discharg'd a trust and zeale shall stray no further Your pardon Madam Exit Queene studies ORB May be 't is a plot to keep off Ariaspes greatnesse which hee must feare because hee knowes hee hates him for these great States-men that when time has made bold with the King and Subject throwing downe all fence that stood betwixt their power and others right are on a change like wanton Salmons comming in with flouds that leap o're wyres and nets and make their way to be at the returne to everie one a prey Enter Ziriff and Pasithas throwing downethe dead body of Ariaspes ORB Ha! murthered too treason treason ZIR. But such another word and halfe so loud and th' art ORB Why thou wilt not murther mee too wilt thou villaine ZIR. I doe not know my temper Discovers himselfe Looke here vaine thing and see thy sins full blowne There 's scarce a part in all this face thou hast not beene forsworne by and Heav'n forgive thee for 't for thee I lost a Father Countrey friends my selfe almost for I lay buried long and when there was no use thy love could pay too great thou mad'st the principle away had I but staid and not began revenge till thou had'st made an end of changing I had had the Kingdome to have kill'd As wantons entring a Garden take the first faire flower they meet and treasure't in their laps Then seeing more doe make fresh choyce agen throwing in one and one till at the length the first poore flower o're-charg'd with too much weight withers and dies so hast thou dealt with mee and having kill'd mee first I will kill ORB Hold hold Not for my sake but Orbella's Sir a bare and single death is such a wrong to Justice I must needs except against it Finde out a way to make mee long a dying for death 's no punishment it is the sense the paines and feares afore that makes a death To thinke what I had had had I had you what I have lost in losing of my selfe are deaths farre worse than any you can give yet kill mee quickly for if I have time I shall so wash this soule of mine with teares make it so fine that you would be afresh in love with it and so perchance I should againe come to deceive you Shee rises up weeping and hanging downeher head ZIR. So rises day blushing at nights deformitie and so the prettie flowers blubber'd with dew and ever washt with raine hang downe their heads I must not looke upon her Goes towards him ORB Were but the Lillies in this face as fresh as are the roses had I but innocence joyn'd to their blushes I should then be bold for when they went on begging they were ne're denâ—…de 'T is but a parting kisse Sir ZIR. I dare not grant it ORB Your hand Sir then for that 's a part I shall love after death if after death wee love cause it did right the wrong'd Zorannes here Steps to him and open the box of poyson Zorannes falls Sleepe sleepe for ever and forgotten too all but thy ills which may succeeding time remember as the Sea-man does his marks to know what to avoyd may at thy name all good men start and bad too may it prove infection to the Aire that people dying of it may helpe to curse thee for mee Turnes to the body of Ariaspes Could I but call thee back as eas'ly now but that 's a Subject for our teares not hopes there is no piecing Tulips to their stalks when they are once divorc'd by a rude hand all wee can doe is to preserve in water a little life and give by courteous Art what scanted Nature wants Commission for that thou shalt have for to thy memorie such Tribute of moyst sorrow I will pay and that so purifi'd by love that on thy grave nothing shall grow but Violets and Primroses of which too some shall be of the mysterious number so that Lovers shall come thither not as to a Tombe but to an Oracle Shee knocks and raises the Court. Enter Ladies and Courtiers as out of their beds ORB Come come help mee to weep my selfe away and melt into a grave for life is but repentance nurse and will conspire with memorie to make my houres my tortures ORI What Scene of sorrow 's this both dead ORB Dead I and 't is but halfe death's triumphs this the King and Prince lye somewhere just such emptietruncks as these ORI The Prince then in griefes burthen I must beare a part SEM. The noble Ariaspes valiant Ziriff too Weeps ORB Weep'st thou for him fond Prodigall do'st know on whom thou spend'st thy teares this is the man to whom wee owe our ills the false Zorannes disguis'd not lost but kept alive by some Enter Pasithas surveyes the bodies findes his Master incensed Power to punish Persia thus Hee would have kill'd mee too but Heav'n was just and furnisht mee with meanes to make him pay this score of villanie ere hee could doe more PAS Were you his murth'rer then Pasithas runs at her kills her and flies Rub her till shee come to her selfe ORI Ah mee the Queene SEM. How doe you Madam ORB Well but I was better and shall Dies SEM. Oh! shee is gone for ever Enter Lords in their night gownes Orsames Philan. ORS. What have wee here a Church-yard nothing but silence and grave ORI Oh! here has been my Lords the blackest night the Persian world e're knew the King and Prince are not themselves exempt from this arrest but pale and cold as these have measured out their lengths Lo. Impossible which way SEM. Of that wee are as ignorant as you for while the Queene was telling of the Storie an unknowne villaine here has hurt her so that like a sickly Taper shee but made one flash and so expir'd Enter tearing in Pasithas PHI. Here hee is but no confession OR Torture must force him then though 't will indeed but weakly satisfie to know now they are dead how they did die PHI. Come take the bodies up and let us all goe drowne our selves in teares this massacre has left so torne a state that 't will be policie as well as debt to weep till wee are blinde For who would see the miseries behinde Epilogue OVr Play is done and yours doth now begin What different Fancies people now are in How strange and odd a â—…ingle it would make If ére they rise â—…ere possible to take All votes But as when an authentique Watch is showne Each man windes up and rectifies his owne So in our verie Iudgements first there sits A grave Grand Iurie on it
me if I refuse Diana's Nunnerie for her And at that Nunn'rie Iolâ—…s allegiance in mee like the string of a watch wound up too high and forc'd above the nicke ran backe and in a moment was unravell'd all JOL. Now by the love I beare to Justice That Nunn'rie was too severe when vertuous love 's a crime what man can hope to scape a punishment or who 's indeed so wretched to desire it THER Right JOL. What answer made you Sir THER None they gave me till to morrow and ere that be or they or I must know our destinie come friend let 's in there is no sleeping now for time is short and we have much to doe Exeunt Enter Orsames Philan Courtiers ORS. Judge you Gentlemen if I be not as unfortunate as a gamester thinks himselfe upon the losse of the last stake this is the first she I ever swore to heartily and by those eyes I thinke I had continued unperjur'd a whole moneth and that 's faire you 'll say 1 COURT Verie faire ORS. Had she not run mad betwixt 2 COURT How mad who Semanthe ORS. Yea yea mad aske Philan else people that want cleere intervalls talkenot so wildly I le tell you Gallants 't is now since first I found my selfe a little bot and quivering 'bout the heart some ten dayes since a tedious Ague Sirs but what of that the gratious glance and little whisper past approaches made from th' hand unto the lip I came to visit her and as you know we use breathing a sigh or two by way of prologue told her that in Loves Physicke 't was a rule where the disease had birth to seeke a cure I had no sooner nam'd love to her but she began to talke of Flames and Flames neither devouring nor devour'd of Aire and of Camelions 1 COURT Oh the Platoniques 2 COURT Those of the new religion in love your Lordship 's merrie â—…oth how doe you like the humor on 't ORS. As thou would'st like red haire or leannesse in thy Mistresse scurvily ' tdoes worse with handsomnesse â—…han strong desire would doe with impotence a meâ—…re tricke to inhance the price of kisses PHI. Sure these silly women when they feed our expectation so high doe but like ignorant Conjurers that raise a Spirit which handsomly they cannot lay againe ORS. True 't is like some that nourish up â—…oung Lions till they grow so great they are affraid of themselves they dare not grant at last for feare they should not satisfie PHI. Who 's for the Towne I must take up againe ORS. This villanous Love 's as chargeable as the Philosophers Stone and thy Mistresse as hard to compasse too PHI. The Platonique is ever so they are as tedious before they come to the point as an old man fall'n into the Stories of his youth 2. COUR Or a widow into the praises of her first husband ORS. Well if she hold out but one moneth longer if I dâ—…e not quite forget I ere beleaguer'd there and remove the siege to another place may all the curses beguil'd virgins lose upon their perjur'd Lovers fall upon mee PHI. And thou woult deserve 'em all ORS. For what PHI. For being in the company of those that tooke away the Prince's Mistresse from him ORS. Peace that will be redeem'd I put but on this wildnesse to disguise my selfe there are brave things in hand hearke i' thy eare Whisper 1. COURT Some severe plot upon a maiden-head These two young Lords make love as Embroyderers worke against a Maske night and day They thinke importunitie a neerer way than merit and take women as Schoole-boyes catch Squirrells hunt 'em up and downe till they are wearie and fall downe before 'em ORS. Who loves the Prince failes not PHI. And I am one my injuries are great as thine and doe perswade as strongly ORS. I had command to bring thee faile not and in thine owne disguise PHI. Why in disguise ORS. It is the Princes policie and love for if wee should miscarrie some one taken might betray the rest unknowne to one another each man is safe in his owne valour 2. COURT And what Mercers wife are you to cheapen now in stead of his silks ORS. Troth 't is not so well 't is but a Cozen of thine come Philan let 's along Exeunt Enter Queene alone ORB What is it thus within whispering remorse and calls Love Tyrant all powers but his their rigour and our feare have made divine But everie Creature holds of him by sense the sweetest Tenure yea but my husbands brother and what of that doe harmlesse birds or beasts aske leave of curious Heraldrie at all Does not the wombe of one faire spring bring unto the earth many sweet rivers that wantonly doe one another chace and in one bed kisse mingle and embrace Man Natures heire is not by her will ti'de to shun all creatures are alli'd unto him for then hee should shun all since death and life doubly allies all them that live by breath The Aire that does impart to all lifes brood refreshing is so neere to it selfe and to us all that all in all is individuall But how am I sure one and the same desire warmes Ariaspes for Art can keepe alive a beddred love Enter Ariaspes ARI. Alone Madam and overcast with thought uncloud uncloud for if wee may beleeve the smiles of Fortune love shall no longer pine in prison thus nor undelivered travell with throes of feare and of desire about it The Prince like to a valiant beast in nets striving to force a freedome suddenly has made himselfe at length the surer prey the King stands only now betwixt and is just like a single tree that hinders all the prospect 't is but the cutting downe of him and wee ORB Why would 't thou thus imbarque into strange seas and trouble Fate for what wee have already Thou art to mee what thou now seek'st a Kingdome and were thy love as great as thy ambition I should be so to thee ARI. Thinke you you are not Madam as well and justly may you doubt the truths tortur'd or dying men doe leave behinde them but then my fortune turnes my miserie when my addition shall but make you lesse shall I endure that head that wore a crowne for my sake should weare none First let mee lose th'exchequer of my wealth your love nay may all that rich Treasurie you have about you be rifled by the man I hated and I looke on though youth be full of sinne and heav'n be juft so sad a doome I hope they keepe not from me Remember what a quicke Apostacie he made when all his vowes were up to heav'n and you How ere the Bridall torches were burnt out his flames grew weake and sicklier thinke on that thinke how unsafe you are if she should now not sell her honour at a lower rate than your place in his bed ORB And would not you prove false too then ARI. By this and this loves break-fast
faire to all perfection and yet do'st want the greatest part of beautie Kindnesse thy crueltie next to thy selfe above all things on earth takes up my wonder SEM. Call not that crueltie which is our fate beleeve me Iolas the honest Swaine that from the brow of some steepe cliffe far off beholds a ship labouring in vaine against the boysterous and unruly Elements ne're had lesse power or more desire to help than I at everie sigh I die and everie looke does move and any passion you will have but Love I have in store I will be angrie quarrell with destinie and with my selfe that 't is no better be melancholy And though mine owne disasters well might plead to be in chiefe yours only shall have place I le pitie and if that 's too low I le grieve as for my sinnes I cannot give you ease all this I doe and this I hope will prove 't is greater Torment not to love than Love Exit JOL. So perishing Sailours pray to stormes and so they heare agen So men with death about them looke on Physitians that have given them o're and so they turne away Two fixed Stars that keepe a constant distance and by lawes made with themselves must know no motion excentrick may meet as soone as wee The anger that the foolish Sea does shew when it does brave it out and rore against a stubborne rock that still denies it passage is not so vaine and fruitlesse as my prayers Yee mightie Powers of Love and Fate where is your Justice here It is thy part fond Boy when thou do'st finde one wounded heart to make the other so but if thy Tyranny be such that thou wilt leave one breast to hate If wee must live and this survive how much more cruell's Fate Exit ACTUS V. SCENA I. Enter Ziriff Ariaspes Jolas JOL. A Glorious night ARI. Pray Heav'n it prove so Are wee not there yet ZIR. 'T is about this hollow Enter the Cave ARI. How now what region are we got into Th'enheritance of night Are wee not mistaken a turning Ziriff and stept into some melancholy Devils Territorie Sure 't is a part of the first Chaos that would endure no change ZIR. No matter Sir 't is as proper for our purpose as the Lobbie for the waiting womans Stay you here I le move a little backward and so wee shall be sure to put him past retreat you know the word if 't be the Prince Goes to the mouth of the Cave Enter King Here Sir follow mee all 's quiet yet KING Hee is not come then ZIR. No. KING Where 's Ariaspes ZIR. Waiting within Hee leads him on steps behinde him gives the false word they kill the King JOL. I doe not like this waiting nor this fellowes leaving us ARI. This place does put odd thoughts into thee then thou art in thine owne nature too as jealous as either Love or Honor Come weare thy sword in readines and thinke how neere wee are a crowne ZIR. Revenge So let 's drag him to the light and search his pockets there may be papers there that will discover the rest of the Conspiratours Iolâ—…s your hand Draw him out JOL. Whom have wee here the King ZIR. Yes and Zorrannes too Illo hoe Enter Pasithas and others Unarme them D' ee stare This for my Fathers injuries and mine Points to the Kings dead body halfe Love halfe Duties Sacrifice this for the noble Prince an offering to friendship Runs at Jolas JOL. Basely and tamely Dies ARI. What hast thou done ZIR. Nothing kill'd a Traytour So away with them and leaves us Pasithas be onely you in call ARI. What do'st thou pawse hast thou remorse already murtherer ZIR. No foole 't is but a difference I put betwixt the crimes Orbella is our quarrell and I doe hold it fit that love should have a nobler way of Justice than Revenge or Treason follow mee out of the wood and thou shalt be Master of this againe and then best arme and title take it They goe out and enter agen There Gives him his sword ARI. Extremely good Nature tooke paines I sweare the villaine and the brave are mingled handsomly ZIR. 'T was Fate that tooke it when it decreed wee two should meet nor shall they mingle now wee are brought together strait to part Fight ARI. Some Devill sure has borrowed this shape Pawse my sword ne're stay'd thus long to finde an entrance ZIR. To guiltie men all that appeares is Devill come Trifler come Fight againe Ariaspes falls ARI. Whither whither thou fleeting Coward life Bubble of Time Natures shame stay a little stay till I have look'd my selfe into revenge and star'd this Traytour to a carcasse first It will not be Falls the Crowne the Crowne too now is lost for ever lost oh Ambition's but an Ignis fatuus I see misleading fond mortalitie That hurries us about and sets us downe Just where wee first begun Dies ZIR. What a great spreading mightie thing this was and what a nothing now how soone poore man vanishes into his noone-tide shadow but hopes o're fed have seldome better done Hollowes Enter Pasithas Take up this lump of vanitie and honour and carrie it the back way to my lodging there may be use of States-men when th' are dead So. for the Cittadell now for in such times as these when the unruly multitude is up in swarmes and no man knowes which way they 'll take 't is good to have retreat Exeunt Enter Thersames THER The Dog-star's got up high it should be late and sure by this time everie waking eare and watchfull eye is charm'd and yet mee thought a noyse of weapons strucke my eare just now 'T was but my Fancie sure and were it more I would not tread one step that did not lead to my Aglaura stood all his Guard betwixt with lightning in their hands Danger thou Dwarfe drest up in Giants clothes that shew'st farre off still greater than thou art goe terrifie the simple and the guiltie such as with false Opticks still doe looke upon thee But fright not Lovers wee dare looke on thee in thy worst shape and meet thee in them too Stay These trees I made my marke 't is hereabouts Love guide mee but right this night and Lovers shall restore thee back againe those eyes the Poets tooke so boldly from thee Exit Aglaura with a torch in one hand and a dagger in the other AGL How ill this does become this hand how much worse this suits with this one of the two should goe The shee within mee sayes it must be this honour sayes this and honour is Thersames friend What is that shee then it is not a thing that sets a Price not upon mee but on life in my name leading mee into doubt which when 'tas done it cannot light mee out For feare does drive to Fate or Fate if wee doe flie oretakes and holds us till or death or infamie or both doth cease us Puts out the light Ha! would