run or'e the Stage and Xerxes in Disorder Omn. Fly Fly they are Entring they are upon us Fly Exeunt Xer. Confusion How the Slaves forsake me They 've caught me in the Snare Nor can I 'scape 'em now Let 'em go all I 'll stand the shock alone The fearful Stag at Bay will Fight Will dye reveng'd upon his Hunters And the fierce Lyon's wilder in the Toil Shall Danger shake a Monarch's Soul Now by my Crown 's Right Royal Majesty I will not fall What Hoa my Beaver Slaves I 'll put the Godhead on and Destiny Shall tear her Idle Scrolls of Fate decreed For she has written false of me I will not dye Nor shall my Foes have power to Face me Thus with this Awful Front I 'll look the Raging God within And Frown 'em into Fear Thou Pale fac'd Slave Shout Clashing Enter a Soldier Sol. My Lord Your Guards are half destroy'd The rest Revolted all to Artabanus Who like a Deluge with his Force comes Rowling in Xer. Let him Rowl on He meets a Rock will stand unmov'd his Roar And dash him into Dew Shout again Enter Artabanus Pressing back his Followers Art On pain of Death let no Man follow me Xer. How darest thou Slave With that Rebellious Face Confront-thy King Or Tempt the Vengeance of a waking Deity Art When Kings are Cast in Molds Divine We find their Actions Great and Pitiful Pity 's the Noblest Composition of a God But thou hast none No soft Compassion ever toucht thee Tygers and Wolves to thee are tame See here The Handkerchief The ruful Flag proclaims thee worse than Tyrant Or if a nearer Name can reach thee Devil Xer. Traytor Art From any Mouth but thine wou'd shock my Soul Or if I am a Traytor Ev'n those just Powers that gave me Vertue When they behold the Wrongs that rais'd my Arm Will sure allow I was not prompt to Ill Not easily disloyal My Vertue did its part If held it struggled stoutly to be tame But here 's a Force would break the strongest Hold And turn ev'n Pity to Revenge and Rage If yet the Horrour of the Deed Has left thee Temper speak What had the poor Tamira done to merit such a Death Why hast thou kill'd The tendrest Mother and the softest Wife Xer. But that I know to say will gall thy Heart I 'd spurn thee Traytor for this bold Demand Daring to ask a Reason of thy Monarch's Will But as a God to Thunder-strike thy Soul I tell thee Slave I Whor'd her to a Dis-liking And then she was unfit for Life Nor cou'd I brook to let her live for thee After the Stamp of Royal Love was on her Art O savage bloody Tyrant The Horrour of his Words Has numm'd my Senses and drowns my weak Revenge in Tears Xer. Now By my Glorious Brother in the Skies My Words have more than Power of common Kings They 're something near 'T is Second Fate To strike this hardy Soldier pale with Fear He weeps he dies I 've look'd him to a Ghost Art And art thou dead Our Infant-Love for ever parted No more of Woman now Farewell Nor need I this to dry my Tears The Thirst of Vengeance rages in my Blood And drinks 'em faster than they flow Hear hear me Gods Revenge your Heads prophan'd Kneels And as the Cause the woeful Cause is yours So from this Arm your not unwilling Instrument Hurl swift Destruction to the Tyrant's Heart Rising Xer. I laugh at all that Fate can do Come on rash Fool And if thy Life 's a Pain as sure a Rebel 's ought Thus Hand to Hand oppos'd Death never took A Nobler Form to face thee Art Now By the Sun 's Refulgent Ray I meet thee worthy of my Rage Oh! I cou'd thank thee that thy Blood 's so high That Manly Fury in thy Eyes transports me It sets the Noble Front of Honour in my View And heightens my Revenge with Glory They fight and after some Passes Xerxes speaks Xer. Confusion How he dallies with my Fury But thus I pour it all at once And certain send thee to the Shades Art And thus the Gods re-pay thee Both fall Xer. Furies and Hell They 've struck me now indeed But if there be Hereafter I 'll revenge it still Rebellion from the lowest Shades shall rise And give 'em fresh Alarms of War More dreadful than their puny Giants Rage The desperate Fiends by me to Freedom led Shall dash their Chains against their Crystal Tow'rs And shake their Heav'n to Horrour Oh! I am faint My gushing Blood flows inward to my Throat And drives out Life before it Ha! 't is false I am not dying No! I 'm weary of the World And now will sleep for ever Dies Art When I behold this Sight I wish to follow thee Death cannot be more terrible His Hand is on me and his Looks are mild To be no more is now to be most happy Oh for a Friendly Witness of my Glory Hark! A Trumpet My Fortune's kind I hear 'em coming Enter Mardonius and his Party Oh! welcome Friend My Fellow-Soldiers welcome See there the Wounds of Persia cur'd the Tyrant's dead By me he fell and poor Tamira is reveng'd Mar. Horrour on Horrour Thy Tamira lives And comes with eager Love to meet thy Arms Oh! rather had she died than thus to meet thee Art What means my Friend Tamira living Mar. Run Haste and tell her of this bloody Chance If she would see her Husband she must fly Exit a Soldier Alas my Friend That Gory Handkercher Was only by the Tyrant thrown to gall thee Thy poor Tamira lives This Moment dragg'd along By the rude Rabble I redeem'd her safe But hark Aranthes brings her on He faints A Trumpet at a distance O Cruel Gods can you not lend one Hour To a departing Lover Art Grieve not for me Give to my Wife thy Tears She 'll need a Friends Compassion Let not her Sorrows For I know she 'll mourn my Fall be desperate Her little Infant will require some Care I charge her live for that Commend me to her Heart and let her know My latest dying Words and Thoughts Confest her Loving more than Life belov'd Dies Mar. He 's gone O Freedom dearly bought Unwelcome Peace Without the Life that gave it But see his frighted Widow comes O mournful Thought O piteous Woman Enter Aranthes with Tamira She runs to the Body Tam. Where where 's my bleeding Lord Stand off O give him to my Arms Hah Speechless and pale Oh! Aranthes Help ho she sinks le ts raise her from him Tam. Oh! we must never part But with more Pain than Bodies lose their Souls Dear Sir for Pity 's sake oppose me not Ev'n in your Eyes I read a Friend 's Concern But mine 's a nearer Tye a Wife Alas I was his Wife his tender Wife belov'd Mar. Indeed I pity thee But yet call Reason to thy Aid Tam. Ah! Do I not my Lord Are not my Tears my Duty Have I not Cause to tear my Flesh to bleed And dash me on the Ground Oh! cou'd my Tears but fall like Showers from Heav'n This dismal Object sure wou'd drown the World Mar. Be comforted fair Creature Nothing is ours Nature but lends us Life Since Death's a Debt that all must pay Tam. Since he is dead is there a Comfort left me Oh! I cou'd out-weep the Southern Clouds Away And give my Sorrows Room Stand off And let me fill my Arms with Woe Embracing the Body Grudge me not this This Ease of Misery indulg'd Let me but talk a while and gaze and kiss His cold unfeeling Lips and you shall see me quiet Hush'd as the Cradle-Babe When chidden by its angry Parent to a Slumber Weeps over him Aran. Give her her Way my Lord Her Grief swells higher when oppos'd Mar. By Heav'n this stubborn Heart that has unmov'd Walk'd by a Heap of groaning Foes At this sad Sight is melted down to Woman Tam. Hush Who 's that weeps so loud You 'll wake my Lord He is not well he slumbers and a cold Damp Sweat is on his Brow O my poor Love Hark! hark He calls me in his Sleep He chides Says I am unkind and fear to follow him As if the Terrour were not in Life behind him Ha! What means this Friendly Weapon at my Breast It looks not sure as if the Hand of Chance But Love had laid it to relieve my Woes 'T is so 'T was Love and Love applies it here She stabs her self with her Husband's Sword Aran. O fatal Deed Mar. O rash Despair Tam. Call it not rash when there 's such Ease in Death But Death alas is never wholly kind For tho' I 'm pleas'd to think I had not Power T' out live my Lord yet Oh! it grieves my Heart That I have robb'd an Infant of its Mother Oh! be a Friend to that and teach him Sir To keep the Middle-Paths of Active Life When wild Ambition or too powerful Love With eager Heat would drive him blindly on Be kind and warn him with his Parents Ruin Dies Mar. There broke The tend'rest Heart that ever sigh'd in Love But Love was her Undoing for once In wild Revenge to right her Love betray'd She struck a Ponyard to the Villain Memnon's Heart The Gods have frown'd but Men must pity her Nay Heav'n but half resents her Fault gives her A kind a not untimely Death 'T was then Too late to live when all she lov'd was gone Remove the Bodies never more to part Living one chaste Bed now one Grave shall hold ' em But here the Gods with Terrour strike Mankind Turning to Xerxes Let Kings and jarring Subjects hence be warn'd Not to oppress or drive Revenge too far Kings are but Men and Men by Nature err Subjects are Men and cannot always bear Much shou'd be born before Revenge is sought Ever Revenge on Kings is dearly bought Yet to our Woes the Gods this Comfort give From those that die the Living learn to live The END
her Undaunted Virtue Thou Glorious Woman whose Unconquer'd Soul Inspite of Wrongs resolves my Rage to pity For ever now thine and thy Husbands Injuries 〈…〉 Too little to Reward thy Constancy But if thy Husband's Life and Safety can Nay and his Friends too they are thine Thy Goodness has redeem'd ' em Tam. What said you Sir You do not flatter me Weeping Xer. Search round my Kingdom for a Wish 't is thine Or Wealth or Empire all too poor a Gift For such exalted Virtue But ask O speak and teach me to be grateful Tam. O my cheer'd Heart Shall I not ask in vain Xer. Speak and enjoy thy Wish Tam. Indeed it is an humble one I ask Not Wealth or power I ne're was fond of Dignity Nature and Reason ever taught me to believe No taste of Life cou'd be but in the Free Th' intire Possession of the Man that lov'd me Give me his Life and him the Life of those Unhappy Friends his rashness has engag'd And I am more than happy Xer. All this I had resolv'd unask'd Can nothing more be giv'n to chear thy Life Tam. A little more If I might speak Xer. Speaking is to enjoy Tam. Then give us leave my Husband Sir Our little Infant and my self with the Remains Of our Inheritance to seek Retirement On some remote and unknown Clime Where Power and State may never more Disturb the Peace of our unmurmuring Love Xer. Draw up a Pardon strait for Artabanus And those with him concern'd in this Conspiracy Here Fair one take this Ring Give it thy Husband Be that thy Triumph and his Pasport through the World Now gently raise and bear her to the Palace And let our own Physicians have the care of her Tam. Alas my Lord I want no Art such words as these Wo'd heal a Wretch expiring of his Wounds O let me kiss your Sacred Feet And thank you with my grateful Tears of Joy Thus let me weep and wash your cruel Guilt away Till Gods and Men stand wondering at your Virtue Xer. Rise Fair Creature Live and enjoy the Man that loves thee Tam. Now you indeed have rais'd me rais'd me Sir From Death to Life to Love and to my Husband But hast O lead me to him e're my Wounds are cold That I may fold his Body in these Bleeding Arms And print it or'e with Crimson Characters Of Eternal Faith And now let base Detraction blush To call us Cowards or Inconstant Souls Since ev'ry Drop that falls from me May to our injur'd Sex's Glory prove That Racks nor Hell could shake a Woman's Love Exit Xer. Then thou' rt the first that never could be won And therefore only fit to feed a Love Luxurious as my own Now follow her Seize her Husband the Moment she discovers him And bear him to the Scaffold Cleo. You gave your Royal Word to spare him Sir Xer. No Fool I gave my Word to find him out Justice demanded him and since the Rack Produc'd him not I might with Justice then Make use of Policy and now I 'm both Secure of my Revenge and Love Cleo. Then she must not die Sir Xer. Oh! no! she lives and shall be lov'd to Ruin I 've prov'd her Vertue now and find It worthy of a Siege I 'll further try If all the moving Penitence of Love can take her If as I would she still resist that Pow'r The noblest Way to conquer is to storm 'T is Opposition gives the Victor Glory Oh! what a noble Gust will swell my Soul When she lies drown'd in Tears and trembling in my Grasp Nay after my abhorr'd Possession I 'll hold her down With smiling Spite and talk my Raptures o'er In her unwilling Ears I 'll pour such Tales Of Loose Desire her very Soul shall feel the Rape And though Her Words may beg I wou'd her Life destroy I 'll make her Eyes confess that she partakes the Joy Exit ACT IV. The Scene the Palace Enter Xerxes attended a Messenger offering him a Letter Xer. WAit on me to morrow I 'm not at leisure now for Business Mess. To morrow Sir may be too late They 're of Importance and concern The Safety of your Royal Person Xer. I tell thee Slave my Will 's my Safety When Danger dares to face me I 'll command it from my Person Mess. But Sir Xer. No more My Pleasures wait Enter Cleontes Now my Cleontes What News from Love How does Tamira bear her heavy Change of Fortune Cleo. Oh! never never did the weeping Eyes Of Pity view a Scene so mournful When first We seiz'd and forc'd her Husband from her Arms She wrung her Hands and shriek'd and tore her flowing Hair Beating her Breasts and in her wild Despair She broke through all the Guards with an amazing Force And strain'd her Arms once more around him We strove to part him from her Hold but she Still clung and clasp'd with such Convulsive Force That from her half-heal'd Wounds the starting Blood Agen sprung forth And sprinkl'd those with Pity that oppos'd her Mov'd by that Sight we stopt a while To let her take a short a last Farewell Quite Breathless now her Head upon his Bosom lean'd She wept and spoke with dying Eyes The tender Anguish of her Soul He press'd her close and call'd My Life She sigh'd and groan'd and offer'd an Embrace But there alas her wasted Spirits sunk And left her on the Floor expiring Xer. Extravagance of Love If only to behold her parted from a Husband's Arms Were such a mournful Sight Oh! what a Beauteous Ruin will her Sorrows make When rifl'd of her dearer Honour She weeps and wails with swoll'n Eyes looks up to Heav'n And chides the Neuter-Gods for their Neglect of Innocence But say How have you dispos'd her Husband Cleo. While she lay fainting on the Ground We hurry'd him to Prison then us'd all our Care To bring her back to Life Xer. Is she then recover'd Cleo. To Life she is but hardly to her Senses She speaks to none nor minds another's Speech Pensive she sits with folded Arms Fixing to th' Earth her Blood-shot Eyes and looks The piteous Image of true Mourning Misery Xer. How are her Wounds Cleo. By virtue of an Arabian Plant she has Already lost the Pain They were at first Xer. Use all the Power of Art to chear her Spirits But keep her still within the Palace When you perceive she is inclin'd to talk Let me hear of her Mess. I beg your Majesty Xer. Agen this Plague Whence are these Letters Mess. From my Master Sir the Governor of your New erected Fort. Xer. Reads Ha! He tells me here some Rebels are in Arms That you are able to inform me farther Say Who what are they Mess. Most of 'em are those the Grecians left unslaughter'd Xer. In Arms Mess. Yes Sir and in Order too They have been Long us'd to War You taught 'em first the Trade And now they say they 'll set up for themselves Xer. So blunt
A Commander Mr. Scudamore Memnon Artabanus's Lieutenant Mr. Freeman Cleontes the King's Creature Mr. Thurmond Poet. An Impudent Fellow Mr. Boin Tamira Wife to Artabanus Mrs. Berry Maskers Magi Soldiers c. The Scene PERSIA XERXES ACT I. The Scene Near Xerxes Pallace Enter Mardonius and Aranthes Aran. HAVE Patience brave Mardonius Mar. Patience 'T is the Coward 's Virtue I 'm a Soldier brought up in Arms And when the noble End of Life is gone My Country's Honour lost my King with shame repuls'd Our Foes insulting we still hopeless of Revenge Where is there room for Patience Aran. I am a Soldier Sir Mar. Then talk like one Aran. I wou'd not talk the Tongue 's a Woman's weapon While there 's a Greek on Earth my Arm shall speak my Thoughts Mar. Why didst thou mention Patience then Aran. Because I knew ' twoud Anger you I bat oppos'd you like a rapid Stream To make you Foam and Rowl with double force Mar. Or'e whom Aran. Th' Athenians Think on Salamis In that deep Sea the Persian Honour sunk 'T was there our dazling Sun Great Xerxes Glory set for ever Mar. Confusion Aran. Does then the Name of Salamis offend you Mar. Furies and Hell Canst thou be pleas'd to hear it Aran. I am To hear it does offend you And now I 've rais'd you to my End propos'd Iv'e that shall keep your brave Resentment warm Read there the List of our surviving Troops Giving a Scrole Which I with utmost care have join'd If yet you think it not too late to Head 'em To Morrow's Sun shall see a General Muster Where every Face will speak an Heart resolv'd 'T is true they 're scarce an Handful To the Numbers we set out with yet still A brave Revenge Revenge for Glory lost Is such an animating Cause As must inspire our Arms with double Fury Mar. Ay now the Soldier speaks This Talk becomes thee Methinks the Voice of Fate informs me now That proud Themistocles shall dearly buy His boasted Spoils of Persia. My Heart 's on fire at the reviving Thought And bounds to be in Action No more remains but that we seek the Drooping King And Form him for the vast Exploit Aran. Brave Artabanus is in search of him 'T is said on Information that the Enemy Had a Design to hinder his Retreat He Posted privately to th' Hellespont But er'e he cou'd arrive a furious Storm Had quite dispers'd his Bridge of ships And that way stopt his Passage How he Escap'd I hear not See Sir Artabanus comes We probably may learn of him Enter Artabanus Dejected My Lord You 're Wellcome Doubly Wellcome now but say How have the Gods dispos'd our Master Xerxes Mar. If thou canst utter'ought That may advance our eager Hopes be bold And let thy Words come forth as if the Fate Of Greece were lodg'd upon thy Tongue For know Mardonius stands with you resolv'd On brave Revenge or Death Art Then Wellcome Death for brave Revenge is lost Mar. What! while our Lives are Ours Art Nothing is ours Xerxes is no more Himself Mar. I grant Thermopylae and Salamis Have Alter'd him But yet he lives and while he lives there 's hope Art Far less than ev'n his Death cou'd give us 'T is true his Body crawls and drags A Frantick Being his Soul is drown'd in lethe Insensible and deaf to Glory or Dishonour O! were it possible my Silence cou'd Conceal his shame By Heav'n This loyal Hand shou'd stop my Tongue for ever Mar. Amazement seizes me relate the Scene For my impatient Soul 's all Ear to know The Worst that Fate can Threaten Art Behold him then this fatal Monarch Xerxes Late Universal Master of the Earth and Seas First of so Formidable so vast an Army That as they mov'd whole Rivers still were drain'd To quench 'em on their thirsty March Th' or'e-bunden'd Earth grew weary of her Load And when they clos'd their Squadrons groan'd to bear ' em Mar. By Arms a glorious Host and wanting nothing but an Head Art And that Alas grown weak the noble Body dies Ev'n by an handful at the Fam'd Thermopylae Fam'd indeed to Graecian Glory 't was mangled All Most shamefully subdu'd and lost Mar. Nothing but a Xerxes cou'd ha' lost ' em Art Behold him yet a second time The Master of his Fate A Fleet so numerous Their vast Provision left a raging Famine on The Neighbouring Coasts The spacious Earth Was stript of Men and Women till'd the Ground Ev'n the wide Element of Air cou'd scarce Afford 'em Breath to fill their swelling Sails By Arms a glorious Body too Invincible To Mortal Thought But conscious Heav'n Foreseeing while it thus bestrid the Seas It must in Time have led the Earth in Chains Decreed it Xerxes for the fatal Head And that way Totter'd it to Ruin And now behold the amazing Change of Greatness By Heav'n it strikes my Soul to think This awful Man that Muster'd half the World In Arms at Salamis shou'd be Reduc'd So low that ev'n a common Fisher-Boat Without one Slave to wait his Nod was All He cou'd Command to save his Person in a shameful Flight Mar. Wer 't not for shame my Eyes wou'd melt to hear The moving Tale But Tears are too Effeminate No! Let Girls and Lovers weep A Soldier shou'd Resent his Fate Why doest thou fold thy Arms And sighing shake thy Head Is there beyond This shameful Flight yet more of shame For that 's the only pain that galls a Soldier Art There is alas and a severe one too His Vain His Proud and what the History of Man Cou'd never Parallel his Monstrous Resolution After Flight He says he made th' Athenians Fly He lost no Battle Greece still Trembles at his Name In Arms more Fam'd than ever And that the Envious World should know And when amaz'd I urg'd the contrary He turn'd away and talk'd to Sycophants Who as I spoke still sooth'd his lethargy To summ the Tale in spight of all Opposing sense He has resolv'd to enter Persia In a splendid Triumph I saw him move Amidst his shameful Pageantry in all The Haughty Pride and State of an Insutling Conqueror Poor Slaves and Vagabonds are Hir'd To Personate the seeming Captives of A Real Victory vast Empty Coffers Suppos'd of Treasure taken from the Enemy High Castled Elephants Rich Gilded Trophies Spoils and Armour Trumpets and Songs prepare his way The People stare upon the Gawdy show And Rend the Skies with Ecchoed Wellcomes While he in solemn Pace stalks Proudly on And ev'n out swells the Hero of a Theatre Aran. O Vile Disgrace of Arms A Triumph Hell Mar. Impossible Art Then it can't be true Would it were not Mar. Gods No more I 'll hast and stop this Vile Procession Charge his Folly home my Honest Tongue Ev'n from this Precipice of Towring Pride Shall break his Fall and catch him back to Glory Exiturus Art Yet stay my Lord this Rashness may be Fatal 'T is Madness to oppose
forth Imagine now the eager Arms of Victory Extending to embrace us sound as if The Glorious Scene were here in real Action Sound and wake the Ghost of this departed Hero Art O Glorious Harmony They Sound a Charge Aran. O Powerful Charm Mar. By Arms it sets my glowing Veins on fire I burn my Spirits rave with fury for the War Away to Horse to Arms why stand you Sir unmov'd As if a low born Fear had fix'd you here Inanimate Can you be deaf when great Revenge and Honour call Are there such Charms in a detested Sloth and Ease God's where have you Tameness lest to stand thus long Suspected not to dare Sound a fresh Allarm And let the Martial Din ungrave the Dead To rouze him Xer. On Forfeit of your Lives forbear your Insolence Audacious Traitor thus to Brand My Hallow'd Pleasures with the Name Of Slothful Ease and Fear I 'll have thee think Unknowing Slave That nothing in it self Is Good or Ill but as it pleases me Mar. I say no! There will be shame in Cowardice Tho' Xerxes were a Soldier Xer. Ha! Aran. Forbear my Lord consider 't is your King that hears you Mar. I ha' no King 't is Merit not a Crown That makes a King when Pride and Sloth debase The Soul of Majesty The Crown 's a Toy No more in Worth than what it weighs in Gold I scorn a King whose Robes can only speak him Royal. Xer. Witness ye Gods How loth I am to wake And crush this Slave who like a Crawling Insect dares Disturb the sleeping Lyon Mar. A Lyon By Heav'n I 've seen a Hare a Womans Courage Dare beyond thee the Martial Artemisia Whose Aiding Arm in Fight supported and disgrac'd thee The Warlike Woman shew'd a Manly Rage The Courtly King a Womans Trembling Fear Ever wer't thou last in Battle formost In the Flight humble in Danger and when Thy Danger 's past Insulting Xer. Seize the Traitor hence and bear him to a Dungeon There let the surly Lyon Growle and Champ His Galling Chains in vain I 'll try him in the Den Hard Fare perhaps Darkness and Gives may tame him Mar. A Dungeon Now by the Power of Arms thou 'st found The only place an honest Man can bear in Persia Thou poor Inverted King whose Favour is Disgrace Whose Frowns are Honour now Thou canst not raise My Glory more than thus proclaiming to the World Thou hatest me But when This Lyon grumbles or'e his Chains alone Beware Thou send no Persian Fools to gaze at me Lest in my round of thought I should believe 'em Greeks That keep me there and bounding from my Couch Grasping with Fury the mistaken Prey With Flaming Eyes should stare their Souls away Exit Xer. To the Dungeon hence and load him down with Massy Fetters By Heav'n I 'll find a way to take An undisturb'd Repose I 'll have my Streams Of Christial Pleasure clear'd of all these Martial Weeds I 'll tear 'em by the Roots and throw 'em useless by Art My Lord Hower'e your Soldiers heat Xer. I 'll have no more to do with saucy War Were now Ten Thousand times the Millions I ha' lost in Arms Intreating Begging as for life One animating Word to bid 'em move I 'd not unsheath my Sword to be Enthron'd with Jove Exit Art Why why ye Pow'rs has such a tainted Soul The Care of th' Empire Or if the Gods have stampt Divinity on Kings fixing them far above The Reach of Common Men why then have we The Eyes of Reason to Inspect their Faults Why are we Born with Souls to loath Dishonour And yet by Honour bound to bear it Aran. How To bear it No! That Loyalty's Dishonorable That bids me bear Dishonour When Subjects Are no more the Care of Kings we then Have only left the Laws of Nature to Protect us And Nature tyes us all to Self Defence We must in time resent the Blows we 've taken Mardonius's Freedom must be sought and suddenly The Current of our Treasure ebbs too fast It must be stopt by Right and Priviledge The late Expences of our Gaudy Shame Exceeds th' Account of Necessary War And shall we sleep when from our Hands by Force The Gripe of Tyranny has wrung our Fortunes More I cou'd say If I believ'd that Words cou'd win you to An Honourable Action Art Aranthes I was never slow to such a Call Nor needs the Cause a Tongue But yet the Undertaking's difficult And will require our Friends best Counsel To Night at my own House I 'll Summon 'em There speak our Griefs at large And may the Blest Event to Ages prove No Crown sits safe without the Peoples Love Exeunt ACT III. The Scene The House of Artabanus Enter Memnon with a Paper Mem. HOnesty's a Notion and only Reigns Like Womens Chastity in cold Untempted Minds It must be so I ever thought that Villany Had an ugly Face but now I view it In the Flattering Glass of Interest it seems No Monster Of a fairer form than half starv'd Virtue Yet let me think a little Here I am trusted with the Names of several Men Who have combin'd to free th' Imprison'd General To seize the King and force him to renew The War with Greece Nay I 've subscrib'd my own T' assist 'em too and now am going to inform The General of it The Undertaking is but Just For Old Mardonius lov'd the King and lies In Chains because he offer'd proof on 't Xerxes Is unfit to hold the Reins of Empire He throws 'em loose and lets it run to shame And Luxury Why don 't I haste to stop him then And by the Execution of what I 've sworn to act Prevent my Countries Ruine But stay suppose I fail in my Design as sure 't is dangerous If I am taken can my Country save me Or if I succeed am I sure my Country Will be grateful They 'll say perhaps 't was Interest Led me on And let me starve while they partake the Blessing They may be base and probably they will Then 'T is not safe to trust 'em nor can I On th' other side be sure of Life if I delay This great Discovery Why then 'T is fixt I 'll take the surest way to find Reward from Xerxes And when my Pardon and Reward are sign'd Then let 'em call me Fool or tell the King I am a Villain Exit Enter Artabanus Aranthes c. Art Never was Cause my Friends more chearfully Embrac'd never were Hands more fit for Action Nor ever greater Glory waiting on success 'T is not the Thirst of others Wealth or Dignities Nor Envy of a favour'd Faction that inflames us No Mercenary end 'T is Bleeding Honour calls us To revenge her Wounds 't is Xerxes not the King That stands accus'd If Xerxes can relent Still let him wear the Crown if not the Crown By us remov'd can dignify Another Head for Empire Aran. 'T is not who Reigns but who Reigns well is King Art
Here This way show the Bodies to the King Great Sir two of the Conspirators This Moment Breath'd their last Xer. Was 't not my strict Command to take 'em all alive Who was it dar'd to kill ' em Cleo. My Lord it was their own Dispair For e're we cou'd beset the Orchard These two with several more who just before Escap'd us Made an Attempt to leap the Wall We Interposing in the Moment Demanded 'em our Prisoners At this they looking round with hopeless Eyes To one anothers Breasts their pointed Swords advanc'd And rusht at once to an Embrace Of Friendship and of Death Xer. O spiteful sullen Traytors Bring in the Torture By Heav'n I 'll have 'em Rackt to Life again Mem. My Lord these Wretches are but the Limbs Of the Conspiracy it only halts for want of them If you would have it husht for ever Cut off the Head their Artabanus Xer. Thou hast inform'd my Rage Say Slaves Among those that fled saw you Artabanus Cleo. No my Lord we rather choose to let them fly Than give him time to 'scape while we pursu'd em If with the rest he was he 's still i' th House my Lord. Mem. Then we are secure of him I left him here But see they 've found his Wife If he lies yet conceal'd she must of course Be privy to the Place Enter Tamira Guarded Xer. Now Is Artabanus found Guard My Lord we 've left no place unsearcht That Jealousy can enter but can no where find him And when we urg'd his Lady to discover him She call'd us Fools and said we askt her Idle Questions Xer. So brave But this is done in spite to me The Traytress knows I love and therefore she insults But thus I tear the Passion from my Breast And in its room take fell Revenge and Hate Aside Bring in the Rack I 'll try if that can make A Woman speak her Mind Mem. 'T is here my Lord. Xer. See you that Lady Tam. Yes and feel it in my Thoughts Xer. What think you of it Tam. That I could bear it Sir t' avoid a greater pain Xer. What 's that Tam. Disloyalty to my Husband and my Love Xer. That shall be try'd Where is your Husband Tam. I have hid him Sir Xer. Where Traytress Tam. I dare not tell you Sir he has commanded me I should not Xer. He then commands thee to the Torture If thou wouldst 'scape it speak for I will know Tam. You shall You ask to know Where I have hid my Husband Then I must tell you Tyrant in my Heart Where you nor yours can enter to remove him Mem. Put her to the Tryal Sir the Rack keeps no Secrets Women are so impatient of a little pain That only squalling in their Natural Labour They 'll forswear Mankind Aside to Xerxes Xer. By Heav'n I 'm pleas'd to see her Folly rave Thou talk'st as if the Rack were but a sport Hast thou Been ever sensible of any pain like this Tam. Ten thousand times a greater I have known The pains of hopeless Love Nay after that The Agonies of Blushing to Reward The Man that lov'd me Xer. How feelingly she talks of Love ev'n in The Face of Horror Art thou not afraid of Death Tam. No! This Moment from my Window I beheld These two unhappy Wretches run into His Arms and see how soon they 're quiet Death Alas He 's now my nearest Friend look here I wear him in my Bosom Sir My Husband plac'd him there Xer. Thy Husband To what end Tam. During his Absence to keep Dishonour from me Xer. O the Inveterate Slave Memnon Walk unobserv'd Behind and rest the Dagger from her Aside Mem. I shall my Lord. He steals round Tam. That Whisper has a Meaning I am jealous of By Heav'n 't is so The Villain meets my purpose Observing Mem. Xer. Once more Where is thy Husband Confess and yet preserve thy Life Tam. Thus far I will confess That I am now indeed Almost afraid of Death For it would grate my Soul To leave my Husbands Ruin unreveng'd For I dispair again to make him happy And that the only wish that makes me fond of Life Forgive me Duty if I mistake the Breast But great Revenge and Love Instruct me here Stabs Mem. Xer. Disarm her Seize her Slaves I 'll trust the Tygress loose no more Mem. Furys and Death she 'as reacht my Heart Dyes Tam. So may all Traytors dye 'T is done The Noble Task that Love had set me For the Remains of Life is nobly ended And now I am at leisure for The Idle Holy day of Death Xer. No sullen Traytress thou shalt be Years a dying Tam. Let me be Ages Sir Xer. Begin the Torture I 'd have my Glory live for ever By Heav'n she mocks my Vengeance They bind her Now where are your smiles of Scorn Lady Tam. Here in my Soul which thus contemns the Tyrant Thinking to bow it down to Baseness Alass my Body now wou'd sink to th' Earth With horror of yon Agonizing Tortures But that my daring Soul shoots like a temper'd Spear Quite through the falling Trunk and give it power to stand Now satiate thy Rage strip off my trembling Flesh And when thou 'st Piece-meal torn these frailer Limbs away Still shalt thou leave unmov'd a naked Mind Erect to Heaven Xer. Away and drag her to her Fate She is carried off My stern Revenge will brook no more defiance Cleo. My Gracious Lord might your poor Slave advice Xer. Preserve thou thy own Life and tempt me not I tell thee Vengeance takes up all my Soul Cleo. But yet you see my Lord she minds it not You are not thus reveng'd she mocks the Torture Now Sir may I Advise Xer. Advise me What Not ev'n the damn'd can Groan With more variety of Pain Look there Cleo. I see my Lord and plainly see from this Were she in your Arms she 'd feell at once A greater Pain and you a sweeter Vengeance Methinks she 's lovely yet Her Charms new pointed See! How her Snowy Bosom heaves and swells With Inward Pains Disdaining to confess ' em O Miracle of distressful Beauty Xer. Not yet a Groan No Sigh or Tear for Mercy Reveal thy Husband yet and I forego My Justice By yon' Heav'n she 's Dumb and dauntless See! How she knaws her Lips and firms her Brow With sullen Virtue she supports her Soul And bears it with unheaded Resolution Cleo. Stupendious Woman Xer. Forbear a while To the Executioners Cleo. With half this Pain I 've seen a Malefactor Make the Torturer tremble with his Groans Can all this Fortitude be born of Love Xer. If it be What Mortal Man can Merit such a Love If Love can make her smile in such a raging Pain What must he do when wrapt in real Pleasure What Racks of Blissful Joy what Raptures must she give By Heav'n they must be tasted Unloose and seat her by me She is brought in all Bloody I 'm now a Convert to